Existence
by Chanelle Summer
Summary: 5 years following the defeat of Zedd, the 10 original rangers are hunted down when a terrible secret threatens their lives. As the conspiracy unfolds, they soon discover their very existence is not what it seemed. MMPR AU Completed!
1. Prologue: Report 1997

_Disclaimer: Power Rangers and all associated subjects and entities are the property of Saban Entertainment and Disney and are used in this story without permission. This is for non-profit, entertainment purposes. All other characters, situations, etc are of my own imagination. _

**Understanding the Lead-up of this story: **This story is AU and is a stand-alone multi-chapter story. All dates and references are made for this story only and may not be true to the canon series in every aspect (Hence it being AU). The story takes the direction that the power rangers successfully defeated Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa in August 1997 back with their Ninja powers (The team then consisting of Tommy, Billy, Adam, Rocky, Katherine and Aisha). The world fell into harmony and the rangers assumed normal lives, following their own dreams and hopes for their futures. There were never any other power ranger teams that followed them, nor any new evil that presented itself since. As you read the story, you will gain more of an understanding of the back-story. I wrote this story as a spur of the moment thing quite a while ago, so leave a review and let me know what you think. Happy reading!

**Rating**: T (Rating will change for future chapters)

**Genre**: Drama / Suspense

**Series**: MMPR (Pre-Zeo) AU - Alternative Universe

**Characters**: Tommy Oliver, Kimberly Hart, Jason Scott, Billy Cranston, Zack Taylor, Trini Kwan, Katherine Hillard, Aisha Campbell, Rocky DeSantos and Adam Park.

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Prologue **

**_Nearly 5 years following the defeat of Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa, the 10 original rangers are hunted down when a terrible secret threatens their lives. As a conspiracy unfolds, they soon discover their very existence is not what it seemed…_**

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_File # 230912 RANGERS, POWER _

_CLASSIFIED: RESTRICTED ACCESS _

_Report Dated 22nd day of August 1997_

This report accounts the events that took place yesterday, the 21st day of August 1997. All details were witnessed by myself, and are told without alteration to the facts.

I have been involved in the direct investigation into the Power Rangers since the assembly of this commission, back at the start of January 1996. Through our undercover research, we were able to obtain substantial leads as to the identities of the six masked individuals. Our research thoroughly suggested they were indeed human, and from their closely monitored movements, we were able to assume they resided in the city of Angel Grove, California, either temporarily or permanently.

For some time, any concrete identification was deemed impossible to gather, being that the technology available to our headquarters was by no means in line with the technological systems used by the Power Rangers. After a fourteen-month investigation to present these identities to the head of the commission, the investigation was labeled as void and marked as permanently closed.

Yet, despite the unofficial ending of that particular investigation, the commission continued its immense interest in the dubbed 'superheroes', which led to our research delving into other core areas of significance. I was part of this research, and acted as head of our data and developments unit.

The day in question, was to be the final stage of our core investigation, and was led by Agent Robert Johns. After receiving final approval as to our planned intervention, Agent Lenten led us directly to an unknown location where the events currently under scrutiny took place.

It is our belief, after the witnessed battle between the Power Rangers and the alien empire, led by the so-named Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa, that the alien force was successfully overthrown and destroyed. Our satellite monitors have confirmed an almost 'explosion' of energy not previously witnessed or thought possible following this battle. It is my belief, and the belief of this commission, that such an event is concrete evidence that Lord Zedd's empire was destroyed and is no longer a threat to the security of earth.

The whereabouts of the Power Rangers is currently unknown.

It has been confirmed that an investigation into their identities will be reopened, following what we believe was their final battle. An outcome for such an investigation will allow us the opportunity to personally offer our gratitude to the team on behalf of the Government and the international community as a whole. I will be certain to update you on our success.

Signed. Hank Cranston.

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_A/N- Chapter 1 has been posted immediately after the prologue, so check it out._


	2. Reminiscing

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter Two – Reminiscing**

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**_Angel Grove University, Dorm 3E_**

**_Friday, December 12th, 2000 – Present Day_**

**_8:12AM_**

There wasn't much to be said about the whole college philosophy of late nights, late mornings and adapting to relying on yourself to make sure you eat and clean your clothes. A lot of the time, the last two points were especially shaky, being that the standard diet usually consisted of take-out, and clothes were usually worn a good four or five times until they sat in a pile for a further two weeks.

Yet as intoxicating as many found the college lifestyle, especially breaking out of the constraints of parented life, Tommy Oliver was still one of the few who didn't usually conform to the naturals of young adulthood. He was usually responsible and even withdrawn to the point where some considered him anti-social. Education just didn't come naturally to him, however, and he wasn't about to risk failing his biology exam to down 20 beers with people he didn't really know.

So, he had done what he usually did most Thursday nights. He studied. Watched a little television and finished off the cold pizza in the fridge, before turning in for a respectable bedtime of eleven thirty. Even with the music blaring from the dorm next door, he swore he'd still make it up seven hours later for his usual morning jog.

The jog at dawn didn't happen, though. He remembered waking up to his alarm, but fell back asleep, only to wake to some crazy dream he usually had whenever he was overtired.

What a great way to start the day. Weren't Fridays supposed to be the best day of the week?

He groaned at himself a little as his sleepy eyes fell on the clock in the small living area, but his exhausted body was too persuasive and he slumped rather hopelessly on the worn couch in front of the television. It was Friday morning, but it was his only day off for nearly two weeks – surely, he deserved an opportunity to lounge around with no purpose.

The television illuminated immediately, and he kicked his feet onto the coffee table, hoping that his dorm mate would bring him breakfast that morning after work.

_Now I really am starting to sound like a college student, _he thought wryly, thinking of the look of displeasure his mother would give him if she discovered just how many days a week he had McDonalds for breakfast.

The news around the city of Angel Grove changed little week-to-week. For a city that boasted a population of well over 300,000, they were almost a national laughing-stock when it came to delivering 'gritty' news. They were dubbed the city of Perfection, welcoming anyone who wanted the big city feel, minus the crime, homelessness and general weariness that was the hype of other cities such as New York or sister-city Los Angeles.

Tommy found that whole idea a bit of a joke himself, considering the rather unusual history of the city's invasion by an alien empire and its honorary homage to a group of masked superheroes only a mere four years earlier. Now that the dust had more than settled since those days, scientists from around the world had flocked to Angel Grove and it was considered the hub for all astronomy and extraterrestrial research. The millions such exploration brought to the local economy was incomprehensible, and it was the primary reason the city was capable in upholding its now untarnished way of life.

Tommy watched with fleeting interest as the weather report drew to a close, and then smiled almost stupidly as the camera focused back on the guest news anchor. The African-American woman showed not even a hint of nervousness, and Tommy turned the volume up, suddenly glad he'd awoken in time to see Aisha Campbell that morning. His old high-school friend smiled effortlessly into the camera, before her face drew serious and she began delivering the most important news that morning.

The first report was about a mysterious death, the victim's name undisclosed, yet the situation seemingly disturbing. He could see it in Aisha's eyes' as she carefully presented the report; this was something big, something very un-Angel Grove like.

Suspicious deaths were about as non-existent nowadays, as Tommy's love life.

There was a knock on the door and Tommy only managed a glance in that direction, before it opened swiftly and a familiar face strolled in. Adam Park was looking as un-pretentious as always, his frame hugged in a well-worn uniform and his short hair sitting in its usually messy pile.

Apparently the look was in at the moment, or so Aisha had told him. Tommy had tried to tell him otherwise, but Adam would always swiftly counter that any twenty-one year old who still had the same hairstyle from their sophomore year was not a person to give advice.

"Got you some breakfast," the Korean-American announced, before he tossed the paper bag at him.

Tommy almost yelped as the hot item landed on his bare stomach, but he quickly sat up and swallowed his reaction with a "Thanks, man."

Adam dropped down on the cushion beside him, and smiled almost devilishly at the television. "How's Aisha doing?" he asked.

Tommy nodded, food in his mouth. "Really good," he mumbled, before swallowing. "There was something about a death in Stone Canyon. You hear anything about that at work?"

"That young guy found in his house? Yeah, I didn't get to that one, but Barney told me the guy apparently died in suspicious circumstances."

"Do you know who it was?"

"Nuh, they won't release the name," Adam explained. "All they mentioned was it was a local guy in his early twenties."

Tommy downed half his coffee in one gulp. "Guess we'll have to ask Aisha after work," he suggested, stopping suddenly as there was another knock at the door.

_Man, I probably should get that, but I really couldn't be-. _

"I'll get that for you," Adam finally conceded sarcastically, before he made his way the short distance to the door.

Tommy watched as the door opened, but found himself standing at Adam's side within one moment of seeing who was on the other side.

Four uniformed men were staring back at them, the emblem on their badges familiar to Tommy, yet the fog in his mind stopped him from registering it immediately. Their dark suits were almost too tight and completely identical.

All they were missing were the dark shades.

"Uh…can we help you?" Adam asked a little confused.

"Adam Park; Thomas Oliver. You are required to accompany us immediately-."

"Wait a minute," Tommy interrupted. "But, do you guys mind telling us who you are and what this is about?"

"We are agents with the IBI," the officer replied evenly, "and we have reasons to believe your lives are in danger."

"The IBI?" Adam asked, eyeing Tommy privately.

Tommy frowned. "Why would the space police think that our lives are in danger?"

One of the other officers pulled two photographs from a file in his hand, and extended them toward the two former rangers as he replied. "We have been asked to obtain the individuals in these images immediately. We have intelligence that proves you, and your fellow classmates were the power rangers."

Tommy could almost feel his eyes pop out of his skull at the statement. How could they know- how could anyone? He had never even hinted to anybody outside the circle that he or any of the others had been rangers. It was a promise they had all made.

"How…" Adam was looking as shocked as Tommy felt. "How do you know who the power rangers are?"

"We need you to come with us now," the larger officer replied bluntly. "We can assure you all will be explained to you once we get you into protective custody."

Tommy stared back at him dubiously. Everything in his head was telling him that to go with four strangers to somewhere he didn't know went against everything he would normally do. Even common sense wouldn't agree with it.

The officer with the file seemed less aggressive and knew exactly what to say. "Remaining here may put your other friends at risk," he stated. "We understand your confusion, but you must comply with our request."

Tommy released a silent breath, before he glanced at Adam, hoping he would voice his opinion. The former black ranger remained quiet and Tommy nodded his head, as if to privately tell him that he knew what he was doing.

"Just let me get changed," Tommy finally said.

* * *

**_Central Los Angeles_**

**_5:59PM_**

Amongst the intricate windings of peak-hour traffic, Rocky DeSantos sat impatiently in his car, pounding the steering wheel with his fingers. He'd changed the radio dial more times than he cared, and all he wanted was to hear something that would take his mind off the time.

Why did it always take him three times longer to get home on a Friday afternoon, than it did any other day of the week?

He cursed to himself as traffic dribbled only a few feet before stopping again, and sighed impatiently as the familiar ring of his cell phone rattled from his belt. He grabbed it and eyed the number display unfavorably, before he quickly dropped it in the center consol. The last thing he wanted to do was talk to his mother at a time like this.

Rocky knew what she would say. She would remind him what a hellhole Los Angeles was, and how he should move back to Angel Grove. The feisty fifty year-old would be sure to add that he could easily get a job back home and could live there happily ever after.

Cut to reality, and that was the one reason why Rocky spent most of his time avoiding his mother's phone calls. He loved her to death, but at twenty-one years of age he needed to start living his own life. Just because his parents chose to have seven kids, didn't mean Rocky had to put his life on hold to help them raise them.

Traffic began rolling and Rocky perked up, moving his car toward the strangled mouth of the intersection. He put his brakes on and slowed beside a sporty car, eyeing the female occupant with a cheeky look. The good-looking brunette flicked her sunglasses a little and smiled back, before she moved on.

Rocky huffed a little as his cell rang again, and he quickly moved it to his ear.

"Hey babe," he greeted, trying his best to sound interested and excited to hear from her.

"Baby, where are you? I've been trying to call you at home for the past hour…"

_No shit,_ Rocky thought.

"Yeah, well I had to leave work late. Rob wanted to do some last minute prep on our presentation for next week, and now I'm stuck in peak hour." Rocky pounded his horn as an elderly man awkwardly shifted his car in front of his, before he continued. "Everything okay?"

"Everything's fine…I just thought I'd tell you that I'm going away for a few weeks, to get away-."

Rocky frowned. "Why? Where are you going?" he asked her, unable to mask his annoyance.

She was quiet and didn't respond immediately. Rocky knew that was a bad sign and he could smell it a mile away.

"I thought we were supposed to go to the Pier Lounge for some drinks tonight?" he reminded her, when she remained quiet.

His girlfriend sighed. "Rocky…I need a break. I need…time…"

He was about two seconds from hanging up on her. "If you wanna break this off, Rachel, just tell me, okay? Don't play your little teary games on me about how you're so hard done by."

"Yeah, that's perfect coming from you, Mr. Big shot. All I ever hear about it that stupid presentation of yours-."

"You know how important it is to me!" Rocky raised his voice. "This could be the start of my life for God's sake."

"I can't wait for you," she stated bitterly. The pause hung on the line for nearly a minute. "I'm sorry, okay?"

Rocky sniggered resentfully. "Whatever." He sighed. "Have a great trip," he added quietly, before he hung up and tossed the phone in the back seat.

He clenched his hands around the steering wheel and did his best not to crash the car into the first tree as he weaved his way rather foolishly through traffic. Angry horns blared in his direction, but he brushed them off with his own, frustrated ignorance. He didn't often get angry- there had been occasions where he'd felt annoyed, but to be dumped by his girlfriend of two months because he was committed to earning big bucks and making a good name for himself just blew his mind.

What the hell did women want these days, anyway? Maybe his mother was right; maybe Los Angeles was just full of stuck-up, psychologically distorted wannabes.

The buildings and streets passed in a state of haze as his car powered along the winding motorway. A familiar song blared through the speakers, but his ears didn't hear it. As his car pulled into the familiar street and tall buildings towered over his car, Rocky suddenly let out an awkward breath.

His stomach pained. Rocky let out a moan and awkwardly flung his car to the side of the road, wrapping his free arm around his stomach while he fumbled to turn the ignition off. Another bolt of pain shot through his abdomen and he rested his forehead on the steering wheel, gasping sharp breaths while he waited for the pain to subside.

Rocky found the energy to rest against his chair, and fumbled blindly on the backseat, grabbing his cell, before he quickly pressed the speed dial number. He counted the rings in his head, grimacing as the answering machine picked up:

"_This is Adam, leave a message and your number and I'll call you as soon as I can."_

Rocky cleared his throat, trying his best not to sound like a baby. "Man, if you're home, can you give me a call? I've got that pain again and it's real bad."

* * *

**_Intergalactic Bureau of Investigation Headquarters, Angel Grove _**

**_A few hours later…_**

Tommy knew there was a reason why he never napped during the day. Some people could do it; others couldn't live without a nap to boost their flagging energy. But, the former white ranger only found it made him feel like shit, and definitely loathed how sleeping out of the ordinary hours seemed to drain him more than refuel him.

But, boredom was more tiring than his regular routine and he was slipping off to sleep uncomfortably as he sat in the rigid chair. Beside him, Adam had been sleeping for a good two hours straight, his body more than needing sleep after his busy night at the hospital. The scene wasn't at all comfortable. Sterile, was the word Tommy would use and he was growing uneasier as the hours passed.

_When are these agents going to tell us what is going on?_

"Why do you think no one else has shown yet?" Aisha suddenly asked up, her voice tense, but sounding more of concern for their friends than for them.

Tommy rubbed his hand over his face and tried to appear alert. "Maybe they're having trouble finding them…or maybe they don't believe them?"

Aisha fixed the hem of her skirt. "I wish someone would at least come and talk to us."

Tommy nodded and allowed his eyes to wonder once more around the tiny room. The gray concrete walls were windowless, lined by uncomfortable chairs that were also a barren shade of steel. A table sat in the center of the room, photographs scattered around the surface and a telephone resting to one side. Tommy had tried to use the phone half a dozen times since they'd been escorted to the depths of the IBI headquarters, but he couldn't even get a dial tone.

It was all starting to feel like one of those movies.

The door opened only five minutes later, and a man walked in, eyes fixed on the table, before he sat across from them. Aisha gently roused Adam from his uncomfortable sleep, and Tommy watched the officer in black begin to tap a pen against the metallic surface of the table.

_Finally…_

"My apologies for the way this situation was handled," he began.

Tommy didn't think he sounded very sincere, but then again he couldn't imagine any of the employees who worked for such an organisation to be of the emotional type.

"My name is Agent Robert Johns and I'm heading this current case."

Aisha sat forward, sassy eyes widening as she spoke. "How long are you going to keep us locked up in this room?" she accused. "Isn't there some sort of procedures that have to be followed?"

Tommy cleared the fog in his throat. "Where are the others?" he asked up quietly.

"We currently have five teams of officers out to bring your teammates in. Katherine Hillard is already on a flight from London. Trini Kwan was located in Switzerland, and she is also on her way to Angel Grove."

"Have you told Billy about any of this?" Adam asked, forgoing the formal speech that the officer was using. "He lives only like ten minutes from us."

"William Cranston has already arrived at the facility-."

"Well, can we see him?" Aisha urged.

"You will be reacquainted with him shortly," Agent Johns responded. "But for now, our focus is on locating the last three individuals." He leaned across the table and laid out three familiar images, Tommy recognizing the photos from their junior yearbook. "We are currently having difficulty locating Jason Scott, Rocky DeSantos and Kimberly Hart. We have an address for Mr. DeSantos, but were unsuccessful in locating him."

"He's been kinda busy with work," Aisha admitted. "He has an important campaign in which he's second in charge…it's big. It could be the real starting point for his career."

Agent Johns appeared disinterested in her revelation. "We have yet to secure Mr. Scott, either. We managed to make contact with him via phone, but he was uncooperative with our request and refused to comply with our needs. We are in the process of tracking the signal from his cell phone so we can meet with him in person."

Tommy pursed his lips. He wasn't the least bit surprised that Jason would be suspicious of such an altercation. After all, the former white ranger still didn't understand how he went along with it in the first place. Tommy had been in close contact with his best friend since his return to the States after his Peace Conference commitments, but Jason seemed rather rigid whenever the subject of their ranger pasts came into conversation.

And Tommy understood why. Jason was by far the most committed, he thought, to the ranger code. In his own mind he believed Jason felt a sense of guilt and maybe even disappointment that he hadn't been part of the fighting team when they had finally destroyed Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd for good.

Standing by the sidelines and watching was never a role the original leader liked to play.

"…and she has a residence in Manhattan…" Agent Johns contined, "but, we have been unable to find her at either residences. Inquiries to neighbors have us believe she is vacationing somewhere at this time."

Tommy blinked, suddenly realizing he had missed most of the agent's speech, but Aisha filled in the gaps almost immediately.

"Kim's up north," the former yellow ranger stated. "It was all over the papers…"

Tommy didn't add anything further. Kimberly Hart. What could he say about the former pink ranger, a girl who had left him behind in his fragile teenage years to pursue her rainbow strip of dreams? He wouldn't be able to add anything that everyone didn't already know.

She was famous, after all. The only one of the group of high school friends that had in all seriousness achieved sporting celebrity status. Kimberly's success at the Pan Global games in gymnastics was just the catalyst, but her movement into the land of world-class figure skating had catapulted her into the international headlines. She was beautiful; she was young and most importantly, she was a role model, loved and appreciated.

Nowadays, Tommy was acquainted with the image on sporting commercials and advertising campaigns. Although awkward at times, he and Kimberly had something resembling a friendship, which had amounted to a stray phone call every few months over three years. It wasn't what they'd had five years earlier, but it was also a hell of a lot more than what could have been.

Tommy was again oblivious and lost in his reminiscing as the agent continued to ramble on, but the moment he noticed, the former ranger quickly cut him off.

"So why are we here, again?"

Agent Johns looked at him, a hint of impatience in his gaze, yet enough understanding that he didn't brush the question away like everyone else.

"We have reason to believe that the powers which you possessed as rangers have remained a part of your physiology long after your final battle. Through our research into your years as rangers, we have concerns that such 'extraterrestrial' powers could lead to a concerning mutation. This intervention is purely in concern for your well beings, especially in consideration of the dedicated service you offered in protecting Earth for many years."

'_Through our research'? What research? I thought nobody knew who we were…_

He began to stand up and Tommy's reflexes' instantly kicked in.

"Hey," he shot out an arm. "Can we at least contact people at home to let them know we're okay?"

Agent Johns hesitated. "We've taken care of your absence for now. I'll have one of my colleagues bring you something to eat, and in the meantime, I thank you for your patience while we locate the remainder of your friends."

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**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**_Teaser for Chapter 3 "Late Night Chill": _**

"I told them," Billy rushed out, eyes plastered to the ground.

Adam stared at him in shock, before the former blue ranger courageously lifted his head.

_A/N- As with all my stories, I always explain and give information gradually, so anything that seems a little strange or abnormal, rest assured it will be addressed later as the story goes along. On another subject, anyone waiting for my update on my other story, I thank you for your patience. My deteriorating health hasn't been stimulating for my writing (believe it or not), and so I've taken a different approach and posted this story to give me a breather. But, my other story will be updated and will be completed in the short future. _


	3. Late Night Chill

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter Three– Late Night Chill**

_A/N - Thanks for the reviews, I appreciate them, especially as this story is pretty different from anything I've written. An interesting point by one of my reviewers that I wanted to clarify, is that the rangers do presumably still have their powers, and it shouldn't be assumed that they don't have them anymore, just because they successfully defeated Zedd and Rita...and now, back to the story..._

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**_New York City_**

**_Saturday, December 13th _**

**_Some time after midnight... _**

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, the magnificent lights in New York City frosted the pathway and passing shop front windows, as Jason paced evenly down the sidewalk. The chill in the air was so much more suffocating than he'd predicted, but he merely folded his arms around his chest and quickened his step.

His motel was only a block from the conference center, and to Jason that was almost next-door, but to his fellow classmates, it was a taxi ride. He couldn't believe how they'd all lined up to catch a taxi after their late night class had finished, and dismissed their invite with flick of the hand. They wanted to go and party, and Jason just wanted to go to bed.

He was a little sorry that he'd passed up the invite as he reached his lonely motel room. Tossing his jacket on a solitary chair, he dragged himself in for a quick shower, before turning to bed. Cursing at himself for not leaving the heater on before he left for class, he tried to warm himself by getting under the thick blankets, but they did nothing much to sooth his. He was still freezing.

He sighed in the darkness and rolled over, fumbling blindly on the bedside table for his cell phone. With the press of a button, the screen lit up and he frowned a little as he noticed more than a dozen missed calls. The number didn't remotely look familiar, but on seeing it he remembered the strange call he'd received earlier that morning.

It had to have been a prank. Someone had called him, telling him they knew he was a power ranger and that they wanted him to turn himself in because his life was in danger. The initial shock had caused him to hang up immediately, and he had tried to call Tommy and Adam in Angel Grove, but they hadn't picked up their side.

The intensive class that night for his business management course had taken priority in his mind, but now his thoughts were racing. Who was trying to call him? Who would even know that he was a ranger?

He stared at the number for a moment longer, before a wry smile crept along his face. It was an Angel Grove number…it had to be Zack! Jason laughed at himself in the dark as the realization came to mind. Now he'd have to get his childhood friend back for sure.

At least now he could relax and let his guard down now. Sleep came to him in less than ten minutes, but like so often nowadays, he found himself wide-awake some two hours later.

_Shit, it's cold…_How the hell was it even possible that he could be so cold?

He grabbed his cell and glanced at the time. Satisfying himself that she would definitely be awake at this time, he let his thumb scroll through the stored numbers on the phone and stopped as it reached the only name stored in the 'K' directory. It rang a good three rings, before a flushed voice burst from the other end:

"Jase!"

"Hey Kimmie," he greeted, surprisingly wide-awake. He laughed as she groaned in response.

"I thought you were in New York?" she huffed.

"Yeah, I am, but I…I'm freezing, and bored and quite honestly looking forward to getting back home," he admitted.

"Aw, poor baby," she cooed teasingly. "If it makes you feel any better, I am skating around in an empty skating rink in a dress no bigger than by bathing suit."

She giggled and he smiled at her description. "How's your break going?" he asked, not bothering to point out that any sane person would be in bed at such a time.

"Yeah, it's okay. I'm staying in this deserted cabin my really weird uncle and aunt of mine own, and their place is totally in the sticks, but it's really relaxing. It didn't take me long to find a skating rink, either."

"Yeah, well make sure you take a break," he told her. "I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but I miss my own bed…I don't think they exactly splurged when they chose this place to stay at."

"I told you, you could have stayed at my place," her voice was slightly exasperated. "The spare bed's never been used."

"I can slum it," he tried to sound convincing, wishing he would have thought of Kimberly's offer before he'd checked in. "Speaking of home, have you spoken to Zack at all? I think he tried to prank me today from his new number."

"Has he moved? I didn't realize, I'm like so disconnected nowadays…let me know his number when you get it, 'k?"

"Sure," he replied. "I better get to sleep…have fun."

"Night Jase."

Jason lowered the phone back on the nightstand, smiling as he thought of his old friends. It was always so weird talking to them, yet at the same time there was nothing that made him feel better. After big breaks of non-communication for the first few years since he'd left the rangers, he'd finally had the chance to have Tommy back in his day-to-day life and Kimberly had made a genuine long-distance effort with staying in almost weekly contact.

They were the things he'd thought he'd lost. Living as a sixteen-year-old on the other side of the world, Jason had quickly adapted to accepting his previously unbreakable friendships were a thing of the past; that it was all a part of growing up. It was strange how the week he'd returned to the States from Switzerland had flung him back into the swing of things like a retracting elastic band.

He often thought about the final battle. How, unbelievable events had played out that brought him there that day, scampering for his life beside Kimberly. Not since the days when Tommy had lost his original green ranger powers could Jason remember actually being afraid, like he was that day.

_Damn it, don't think about that now… _

The memories from those days were hard to move on from. It didn't get any easier, just because they weren't rangers anymore. God, he hadn't been a ranger for well over half a decade, yet he still felt suffocated by the fact that it was the biggest part of his life, and he could never share it with anyone.

The others didn't seem so held back. Everyone had pretty much excelled in every dream they had chosen to follow. They had successfully molded into society without so much more than a whispered reminiscence every few weeks, and the occasional reminder on the television or in the media. Despite the rather abrupt changes to his life, Jason was genuinely happy; he was doing what he'd always wanted and he couldn't look past that.

But still, he missed being a ranger like nothing else. Childish dreaming, he guessed.

He let the darkness filter through his heavy eyes, and he thought about Zack. He would have to think of something seriously mischievous to get the original black ranger back.

And, as the possibilities swapped and steadied in his thoughts, Jason quickly sat up as his motel door suddenly flung open.

* * *

Kimberly didn't return to the ice after her call to Jason, instead deciding to follow his brotherly advice and relax. She didn't really know what that word meant- and being on vacation in the middle of nowhere made that task even more difficult. 

She glanced at her watch as she waltzed out of the enclosed rink and cringed. If her coach realized she was getting such little sleep nowadays, she'd never hear the end of his annoying accent.

Still, despite the time, she had shortly after found herself at a tiny 24-7 convenience store, treating herself to a creamy hot chocolate for the short drive to her Uncle's cabin in the dark. The weather was bitter, but her oversized sweater was more than enough comfort as she passed through the frothy, snow capped hills.

She was feeling better already, by then. She was a night owl, after all, and the drive was strangely relaxing.

After arriving at the empty cabin she had quickly decided to check in with her father over the phone. He sounded elated to hear that she had found the time to relax, even though she blatantly lied about how much time she'd been practicing. There was a fleeting mention of the Event, but Kimberly steered away from the topic with seeming ease.

The upcoming world Figure-skating championships had occupied her every thought for a demanding six months. Everyday, she would wake up and skate for hours on end, stopping only for meal breaks. It was rigorous, but never boring, and that was why she loved it. As she had lived her younger years for gymnastics, the thrill of perfecting a single skating routine was heart-stopping enough to keep her going.

But a break was on the cards for months, and being as rebellious as always, Kimberly had knocked back vacation offers from family, and instead decided to some quiet time on her own. The main room in the desolate cottage was pure country chic, and she loved the smell of potpourri that filled her nostrils. It was homely and pink, and reminded her of all the things she used to cherish growing up.

It had been so long since she'd had such peace to herself. She could read her Cosmopolitan magazine, soak in the bath or strum aimlessly on her guitar. It was certainly not a vacation idea that would usually match her acquisitive taste, but now that she'd truly experienced it, she was starting to enjoy the idea of a break away from the limelight.

Then the phone rang. Who would be calling her at nearly three-thirty in the morning?

As Kimberly scampered over to answer it, she cursed a little under her breath. Necessity or not, cell phones were the last thing you wanted when you desired your own company.

"Read page five," the familiar voice greeted from the other side, without any sort of formal greeting.

Kimberly rolled her eyes. "I thought you said you weren't going to read the papers?" she reminded her skating partner.

She could hear Anthony Amoretti fumble with something on his end. "Page five has a piece on TiAn Zheng and Chen Cao. Says they're touring and performing free exhibitions on the East Coast…"

"Tony," Kimberly drew out exasperatedly. "Forget them, okay? I'm not going to read about any of the other teams…it will just make me too nervous."

"Nuh, nuh, nuh," he said as though she had said something offensive. "I don't want to hear anything about being nervous. You are great; we are the best. There is no competition."

Kimberly laughed softly, bashful at his words and not at all believing them. She was going to respond in kind, but quickly changed her mind. "I don't want to talk about this now," she admitted. "I still have another few days of peace and quiet. Until then, I don't want to hear anything about the championships, okay?"

"You sure you don't want to come back tomorrow so we can get an extra week in?"

She groaned loudly. "No. Don't even think about it. Now, unless you have anything important to talk about, can you please let me get back to my bubble bath and Cosmo? Do you realize what time it is here?"

"Make sure you get some practice in-."

"Goodnight Tony," she drawled out, before she swiftly hung up. She hadn't meant to sound so rude, but surely the man she had spent almost six months straight with could understand that she wanted some time to herself.

It's not like they were married or anything. They certainly were not in love or even casual lust. Despite the petty and clichéd gossip that occasionally found its way into the papers, Kimberly didn't see Anthony as anything more than a typical Italian boy who expected far too much from all the women in his life.

She grew tired before she reached the end of her magazine, and noticing the quickly dissipating bubbles around her, Kimberly dragged herself out of the bath and into her nightgown. The white flannelette felt so good against her skin that she walked in a near trancelike state up the hallway to her room, stopping only as she heard a knock on the front door.

Kimberly waited. Was it just the breeze outside?

The knock sounded a second time, this time clearer and more distinctive. Guessing it was a local coming for wood or supplies, she casually opened the door but stopped halfway as she recognized the out of place visitors on the other side.

"Kimberly Hart?" one of them asked, although it was clear from his tone that he wasn't asking a question.

She clenched her hand around the door, doing her best to keep a gap between them. "Who are you?" she asked with flared caution. She quickly skimmed their dark uniforms for any signs of cameras, but Kimberly already had a feeling they weren't a part of the paparazzi.

"My name is Agent Myers and we represent the IBI…we are here to escort you to our headquarters in California so we can place you in protective custody."

Kimberly frowned with confusion. "Wh-why? Who or what is the IBI? Did my manager have something to do with this-."

"We are aware that you served our planet as the pink ranger for some time back during Lord Zedd's attacks against Angel Grove, and with recent intelligence, we have reason to believe that your life, and the life of your teammates, are all under serious threat."

Kimberly let out a strangled breath. It was almost a gasp, but more like a scoff, as though someone had shined a bright light into her eyes and she had been left stunned.

"I uh…" She squinted her eyes. "How does anyone know about that?" she whispered.

"You must come with us now. There isn't much time."

She stared back at the man for a moment, before she slowly shook her head. No. There was no way she was going off in the middle of the night with three men who looked like they were part of the cast for 'Men in Black'.

"You know, I've seen movies like this," she started, grateful she had finally found her inner strength to speak up, "and I'd be really careful if I were you- I'm still more than capable of throwing a few butts around, and if you wanna press this further-."

"And, if you want to wait another minute, hour or day to come to your senses, Miss. Hart, you'll soon find yourself bleeding pink from the inside and dying a very slow and painful death…"

Kimberly blinked. The fear had her choked, once more. "I'm going to call Jason," she suddenly decided with a shaky voice, feebly pulling on the door in an attempt to close it.

Agent Myers shot out a quick hand and started at her with uncompromising eyes. "Mr. Scott is waiting in the vehicle behind us," he countered. "Our flight leaves for Angel Grove Airport in just under three hours."

* * *

Adam knew all to well how stress, exhaustion and isolation were all major contributors to advanced psychosis. It was pretty easy to refer to someone as being crazy or completely nuts, but when it was happening to your own twisted mind, it was something almost unbearable. 

Okay, so he wasn't exactly going crazy, at least not in an obvious sense. He had been sitting in the tiny gray room for over twelve hours, and for something so inconspicuous, the experience was quite nail grinding.

Aisha had spoken nearly the entire time. That was her way of dealing with stress, and Adam wasn't surprised. He'd known her since the fifth grade, and she had always been one to deliberate over much smaller situations. Concern for her friends was only driving that habit to a new height. She was constantly repeating herself and Adam was growing tired of being polite and telling her it was okay.

Tommy was just plain out weird. He'd had moments of vented frustration, where he'd pace around the 'box' and ramble on about how they had ended up in the situation in the first place. The rest of the time he'd remained fairly quiet. He didn't seem to sleep, but just stared at his shoes or fiddled insistently with his wallet.

They hadn't been told much more about their 'situation'. Adam just didn't know how to take any of it- they weren't being held entirely against their will, but no one at the facility seemed to sincerly care about the fact that their lives were apparently hanging by a thread.

It was as though they were playing a waiting game, but for what, Adam didn't really know. 

"You think we should ask to use a phone?" he gently suggested, as Aisha's words' finally died down.

He glanced down at his watch as he spoke. It was late and he was supposed to be starting his shift at the hospital in under an hour's time.

Aisha shrugged half-heartedly, but her eyes suddenly widened and she leapt to the windowed door. Suddenly tugging violently on the door, she began to call out, her body moving so viciously that Adam was momentarily stunned.

"Rocky!" she screamed out hysterically, over and over again.

"Aisha!" Tommy quickly let out, jumping up and grabbing her on the shoulders. He pulled her away from the window and glanced out eagerly, before turning to Adam with wide eyes.

"Rocky is out there," he said. "They were taking him somewhere."

Adam tried to mask his fear. "Maybe they're taking him wherever Billy is?" he suggested, silently grateful his childhood buddy would soon be reunited with them.

God, they needed his out-of-place humor more than ever now.

Tommy's face withdrew to serious, inner thought, before his eyes sparked back in Adam's direction. "Maybe we should just tell these people that if they won't tell us what the hell is going on, then we want to go home."

Aisha reached up and rested a hand on Tommy's tense lower arm. "Tommy's right," she agreed. "If they really thought our lives were in danger, don't you think they'd be doing something more than just locking us up in some room? We do have rights, you know."

Adam felt torn. "But guys, they know everything about us- if they know all of that, then they must be telling the truth."

"Or some version of their twisted truth," Tommy stated. "I say we get out of here and see Zordon-."

The door behind them clicked and opened, and the three friends swung around in time to meet familiar blue eyes. Billy Cranston's lips' were pursed, hands predictably driven into the pockets of an all too familiar uniform.

"Billy," Aisha let out, reaching out to point his way. "Why are you wearing one of those uniforms?"

Adam knew Billy very well. After their stint as rangers, they'd grown closer together thanks to their mutual desire for career success, and the former blue ranger had been more than instrumental in Adam's own achievements as a training paramedic. Billy had always been of a serious and reserved nature, but the look on his face now was one that Adam hadn't seen since their days of fighting side by side.

"Hey guys," was all Billy managed to say. "I apologize for not coming to see you sooner-."

"How did you get out there alone?" Tommy asked him. "We've been trying to get out of here, but the door is locked and the phone doesn't work."

"I uh." Billy sighed nervously. "I work here- on volunteer basis. My father's been assisting them with their latest research on human adaptation to outer space, and they agreed to let me use their front house research as part of my latest thesis for my class."

"But, why are we here?" Adam asked his close friend. "Do you have any idea why they would believe our lives are in danger, and what it has to do with us being rangers?"

Aisha crossed her arms over her chest. "And how on earth did they even work out our identities in the first place? I couldn't see any reason why any of us would want anyone to know-."

"I told them," Billy rushed out, eyes plastered to the ground.

Adam stared at him in shock, before the former blue ranger courageously lifted his head. "I didn't have a choice, guys…something terrible happened yesterday, something I never…never…" He stopped, the words choking and clogging so they could no longer understand him.

Adam brushed gently past Tommy and reached for Billy's shoulder, trying his best to coax the genius on. "What happened?" Adam whispered.

"Zack's dead," Billy said, his hand covering his face. "He died alone and it was his powers that killed him."

---

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**_Teaser for Chapter 4 "Deception": _**

Kimberly frowned inwardly, but as his words sunk in, she quickly dismissed them and pulled away from him. He shot a finger to her mouth to keep her quiet, but as her eyes met his, her words disappeared and were replaced only by shock.

_A/N#2- A big thanks to anyone who's still reading! Hey, I know this whole thing seems a bit 'weird', but as always, explanations do follow...:-) And drama..._


	4. Deception

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter Four – Deception**

**

* * *

**

His friends' reactions' to the terrible news was as awful as Billy had anticipated. He hadn't thought the feeling possibly could have surpassed the lead in his stomach he'd experienced the entire day in preparation of his delivery, but now he literally felt dead.

Numb.

There was no way to soften the blow, nor work around it or ignore it. Their worlds were changed forever and Zack's catalytic death was something no one could have prepared for. Billy should have already seen that before he even walked into the room, but for the first time in his life, or at least in a long time, the considered genius had been nothing short of ignorant.

He had hurt them so much more than he thought possible.

Billy retreated to his own personal sorrow after he watched Tommy slump blindly on a chair behind him. Aisha had thrown her arms immediately around the former leader, but she couldn't squeeze the pain out of his verbal flood of emotion.

"Billy?" Adam had his hand back on his shoulder, but as much as the former blue ranger wanted to acknowledge his display of concern, he couldn't muster the courage. He felt like a traitor enough for keeping such devastating news from them for so long. How he could even manage to look at them again was too difficult for him to consider.

And, somewhere in the back of his mind, Billy considered the fact that they would all look at his face and see the horror in his eyes. The image of his childhood friend lifeless, but not just dead; something that brought a hidden terror to light.

Another lie. Something else Billy hadn't told them.

It was bad enough that Billy had the responsibility to deliver to them news of Zack's sudden death, but how would his oldest friends look at him when they found out he had known all along that it could happen?

That their powers were that and the opposite- a way of death?

He wiped a stubborn tear from his cheek and turned from Adam, trying to gather the next words that would come from his mouth. Billy had to tell them the truth. Even if they despised him for it, they had to know what he knew.

"H-how…" Aisha's voice was sullen and lacking all her usual spirit. "How did he die?"

_Please don't ask me that…_

"I don't know for sure," Billy finally admitted, turning around to face his seated friends, but still avoiding their faces. "When paramedics arrived at the scene, they believed he'd died of heart failure…but word leaked. I don't know how they found out, but the IBI knew something wasn't right. Instead of taking him to the morgue, they brought his body here- where they…tested him."

"Tested him how?" Tommy finally asked, his voice foggy.

"I wasn't there," Billy told him. "But when my father told me about Zack dying, and that the IBI had brought it on themselves to personally investigate his death, I asked him something that gave it away." He looked Tommy carefully in the eyes, afraid to go on.

Aisha's face twisted at his words. "Are you saying you knew how Zack died?"

_I can't… _

Adam stood up, running a stray hand over his hair. "Billy," he put his hands out in gesture. "Whatever you're trying to tell us, it's okay..."

Billy's eyes' clamped shut, devastation folding across his forehead and tensing in his shoulders.

"I knew there would be consequences," he finally let out, his voice cracking and pitchy. "Our powers- they completely raged havoc with our internal organs and manipulated our own DNA. They made us stronger all those years ago, but now, it's as though they put too much stress on our internal systems to the point where our bodies can no longer handle it."

They all stared at him in shock. Horror. Anger. Sadness.

No one spoke.

Tommy's eyes' were starting to burn as the seconds ticked over and he slowly leveled their piercing centers on Billy.

"Zordon wouldn't do that to us," he stated in a low voice. "How could you, of all people, say that Zordon would deliberately do anything to harm us?"

Billy stood his ground. "I don't think that Zordon knew," he said sadly.

"It can't be true," Aisha suddenly spoke up. "I feel fine- I haven't felt sick and I certainly don't feel like my organs are failing me."

"I agree with Aisha, Billy. I haven't even had the flu in years," Adam told him gently.

"I don't know how it works," Billy stated defensively. "All I know, is that what happened to Zack, will happen to us all…" he looked at Tommy. "I believe the longer the power's been connected to you, the more immediate danger you're in-."

"Then you better find Jason, Trini and Kimberly as soon as possible," Tommy snapped at him, standing up only inches away from his face. The anger was no longer in his eyes; only pain remained. "You knew about this and you better help them before anything happens."

Billy blinked, as though it were the only way he could promise his friend. His friend…they wouldn't see him as their friend after this, would they?

"Where did they take Rocky?" Aisha asked. "I saw him through the window."

Billy nodded. "They took him to the infirmary…apparently he's been complaining of paralyzing stomach pains."

Her eyes fell, squinting sharply, before a thin stream of tears trickled from behind them.

"I'm really sorry, guys," Billy said hopelessly. "I know what I did has hurt you all, and that was never my intention. As much as I feared this day could come, I never truly believed that it would."

He turned resignedly and reached for the doorknob, his heart stopping as he realized it was locked. As he glanced out, his mind desperate for air, he spotted two familiar figures in the distance.

_Trini and Kat… _

* * *

Katherine stood nervously beside Trini, using the concrete wall to leverage the weight off her tired legs. It had only seemed like an hour since she'd been floating across the stage for her recital practice, yet here she was more than 5,000 miles away, standing in some eerie facility with her life hanging over her head. 

They were the words that the mysterious men used, right? They had said her life was in danger; that her former ranger teammates were all at risk of dying. She didn't consider herself to be a genius, but surely that meant that another form of evil had decided to attack earth again. Maybe, the Intergalactic investigative force had intelligence that such a nemesis was interested in getting revenge on the teenagers who had successfully vanquished Zedd and Rita all those years ago?

But then, why would they need to be put in protective custody? That was the big catch Katherine didn't remotely understand.

She didn't know Trini intimately, yet the Australian had felt more at ease when she'd finally met her at the Angel Grove airport. Trini had been long gone to the other side of the world when Katherine had turned up on the scene back all those years earlier, and all she'd ever known of the original yellow ranger was the praised words from her childhood friends.

The meeting was awkward, and they were both clearly tired from long flights. Katherine had tried to make the pretty Asian comfortable, at least enough so they could talk about the strange situation they'd both found themselves in, but Trini had remained mostly tight lipped on the drive from the airport.

Katherine needed someone to bounce her thoughts off.

Billy…she needed Billy's mind and Tommy's words' of courage.

Katherine glanced around the narrow hallway, listening to the whispered murmurs of three agents standing in front of her. Her blue eyes trickled away from them in frustration as they lowered their voices, but as they did, she spotted just what she needed ahead.

"Billy!" Katherine called out, before she suddenly shot her hand to her mouth. The three male officers turned to stare at her and Trini looked at her as though she had declared she were insane.

"You can follow me, Miss. Hillard and Miss. Kwan," the youngest of the agents announced, extending his arm and motioning to the winnowed door that Katherine could see Billy behind.

She waited anxiously as he undid the door, and quickly moved through the doorway first.

Then, it was as though she crashed right into a brick wall. She was emotionally crushed; slammed and slapped. This wasn't what she'd been expecting.

_What's wrong? Why has Tommy been crying?_

"Tommy?" Katherine managed to whisper, moving toward the clearly crestfallen man with an extended hand.

She rested it tenderly on his shoulder, and looked over her own exasperatedly as nobody said a word.

"What happened here? How long have you guys been here?"

"They came and picked us up this morning," Adam replied. "We've been locked up in this room all day. It's good to see you guys are okay."

Katherine frowned, her azure gaze meeting Billy's. Why did he look so terrified? His cheeks were shiny, like Tommy's. Aisha, a girl who Katherine had cherished in High School for a personality as bright as her favorite color, had profound ruby circles around her dreary eyes.

"Where are the others?" Trini asked, as the door closed behind her, leaving the six former rangers alone.

"We don't know," Tommy practically mumbled. "They told us this morning they couldn't find them."

Katherine stood up from Tommy and glanced down at him in surprise. "Why aren't you doing something? If earth is under threat, then sitting around and feeling sorry for ourselves is not the answer-."

Aisha looked up at her with almost hopeful eyes. "Who told you earth was under attack?"

Katherine blinked. "The IBI agents did…they said our lives were in danger-."

"This isn't to do with fending off evil dictators," Billy spoke up from behind her. "I just finished attempting to explain to Tommy, Aisha and Adam that the real reason we're here, is because it seems our powers have left a devastating after-affect in our bodies which we may not be able to fend off. The IBI discovered this mutation, and they're doing what they can to keep it under wraps."

"Billy," she said, stepping toward him. "I don't understand…if what you're saying is true, how could they know? How could anyone-."

"Zack's dead," Aisha sobbed out, running a shaky finger under her eye to catch the tears. "His powers killed him-."

"What?" Trini gasped out, shaking her head. "No. No, don't say that!"

"Trini…" Billy whispered.

The original yellow ranger stared at him, but swiped his caring hand away. "Why didn't anyone tell me? Does being in another country exclude you from knowing these things?"

"We only just found out ourselves, Trini," Tommy argued, although his voice lacked any real defense. "It only happened Thursday night."

Katherine watched as Trini's almond eyes' welled with tears, and she swung around, pacing into the furthest corner. The air in the room suddenly swelled uncomfortably, but Katherine knew it had nothing to do with the weather.

This was horrible. Was she really hearing this right?

Katherine leant against the wall and carefully glanced at the people she still considered friends. Sure, after living in another continent for three years, it was true she'd barely been in contact with them, but as much as she feared coming back, Katherine had been excited about it. She'd heard such wonderful things. But now, everything had taken a vicious u-turn.

It's not as though she thought they would just morph again and kick ass. But, she hadn't been expecting that the one thing that had been their strength, would now risk their lives. It had never been mentioned; never even discussed.

She glanced at Billy with growing tension, watching as he stared down at his shoes. Had he known about his all along?

Possibly since the beginning?

"What are they going to do to help us?" Katherine asked aimlessly after minutes had passed in silence.

Tommy looked at her. "I don't even know if that's really why they brought us here," he admitted. "They've done nothing to even hint at caring about our situation."

"Surely they'll have to do something soon?" Aisha managed to get out. "People outside will be wondering where we are- I'm supposed to be on air tomorrow morning."

Tommy stood up, rolling his head quickly to release the tension in his neck. "If they don't let us out of here or tell us what the hell is going on, I say there's enough of us here now to help change their minds," he said in a stern voice.

* * *

Kimberly tried to shuffle in her seat. She was fairly tiny in comparison to a standard size air seat, yet somehow it didn't feel anywhere big enough. Time was ticking by terribly slowly. She needed fresh air. 

Damn, she hated flying these days.

She'd forgotten how long the flight was to Angel Grove. She hadn't been 'home' for over two years. Promises to visit family, her father, friends always had dissolved and been replaced by plans Kimberly always decided were more important at the time. But now, being forced to fly there was something different altogether. Being dragged onto a plane was the last thing she thought she'd be doing on her only break from life in two years.

Kimberly went to stretch her arm out, but quickly pulled it back as she thoughtlessly hit Jason beside her. She offered him a fleeting apology, but in his innate chivalrous way, he swiftly offered her the armrest between them.

She leant toward him, the space between their faces closer than normal. Although she couldn't see their faces, she was more than weary of the five IBI agents overhearing her words. It was bad enough they had the surrounding chairs on the flight to 'monitor' them and she was certain their primary concern wasn't their comfort or well-being.

"I really need a glass of water," she whispered to Jason, failing at her attempt to push the baggy sleeves of her sweater up. "The heater is too much."

Jason leaned forward, tapping Agent Myers on the shoulder. "Can you get her some water, please?" he asked sternly.

The man dressed in black seemed to narrow his eyes, but swiftly pushed the service button.

"You should try and get some sleep," Jason suggested, as he leant back against his seat. "I'll stay awake…even though there's another forty people on this flight, I don't trust these guys one bit."

Kimberly studied his face. "You look like you need the sleep," she said honestly. "Is your headache still bad?"

He shook his head softly, but they both looked up as a woman on her way to the restroom, suddenly stopped up beside them. Kimberly watched as the agents' all tensed up in their chairs, but she ignored them and instead offered the middle-aged woman her best attempt at a sunny smile.

"Kimberly Hart?" the woman asked with wide eyes.

Kimberly furthered her smile. "Yes?"

"Oh wow," the woman laughed a little nervously, and then quickly fumbled in her tiny handbag.

She pulled out a pen, but quickly drew a thoughtful face. "I was wondering if I could get your autograph? My daughter is a huge fan and she'll be over the moon when I give it to her back home. I haven't seen her in nearly a month."

Kimberly gently took the pen. "I'm sorry, I don't have anything with me to sign," she told the woman honestly. Kimberly wasn't used to being chased for autographs every minute of every day, but she'd always carried promotional photos to sign when the need aroused.

The woman's eyes' suddenly lit up. "I'll go and grab my magazine from my chair…one of your advertisements is on the back cover."

The woman seemed to walk a few steps excitedly toward her chair, until Agent Myers stood up and carelessly addressed her with a rude, clearing of the throat.

"Mamn, we have no time for autographs tonight. Miss. Hart needs her rest."

"Oh, oh okay…"

"No," Kimberly stood up, glaring at the agent. "I can-."

He stared at her with dark eyes and she quickly sat down, not wanting to draw attention to the situation. The last thing she wanted was her horrid flight adventure leaking into the papers.

Jason stretched out an arm, and gently placed it around her shoulder, as though silently coaxing her to lean her head against his chest. The whole situation felt a little uncomfortable, as though over stepping the line that usually was in place between two adult friends, but she didn't resist or pull away, either.

As she rested her head against him, Kimberly felt his lips brush against her ear. "Kim, you're going to have to stay close…I don't want to scare you, but you're glowing pink…"

Kimberly frowned inwardly, but as his words sunk in, she quickly dismissed them and pulled away from him. He shot a finger to her mouth to keep her quiet, but as her eyes met his, her words disappeared and were replaced only by shock.

"You're glowing, too," she murmured numbly, reaching out to run a hand over his chest that was slightly exposed at the top of his collar. "You're glowing red."

---

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**_Teaser for Chapter 5 "Breakdown in Communication": _**

Jason quickly sat up, pacing furiously toward the door. "What do you guys want from us?"

The man's face remained steady, but the corner of his mouth curled up ever so slightly, infuriating Jason at the same time.

_A/N- Thanks for all the reviews! It's great to know what you all think. Have a great day and thanks for reading!_


	5. Breakdown in Communication

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter Five – Breakdown in Communication**

**

* * *

**

The next morning brought with it a strange calm. Tommy had fallen asleep surprisingly easy the night beforehand, blocking out Katherine and Aisha's late night conversation. The floor wasn't comfortable, but neither was trying to sleep sitting up in a chair. Tommy had given most of the chairs to the others, and had instead stretched out on the floor in front of the door.

He wanted to know the minute it opened.

Yet, as he opened his sore eyes, and sluggishly tried to sit up, he quickly realized he wasn't resting where he'd been five hours earlier. He carefully ran his eyes over the sleeping bodies of his former teammates and exhaled sharply as he counted another head amongst them, her body draped unflatteringly in a white hospital gown.

"Kim?" Tommy whispered with surprise, standing up a little quickly.

He could tell she wasn't asleep, and her eyes met his almost immediately.

"Tommy…" she whispered back, accepting his quick embrace, before slowly pulling back.

He kept his hands rested on her arms, unconsciously running his fingertips over the lines of her well-toned limbs. She didn't stop him at first, but then gently intercepted and grabbed his hand in her hers.

"I'm glowing pink," she finally pointed out. "I'm glowing pink…"

Tommy frowned. He had thought he'd seen it, but assumed he'd been imagining it. The flush to her skin was sickly, in particular the way that it circulated around the dark centers of her eyes. Tommy hadn't seen Kimberly look so weak since her power coin had fallen into the hands of evil.

"When did you get here?" he asked her, as they sat down side by side.

Kimberly bit her lip. "An hour ago, I think," she admitted quietly. "I wanted to wake you, but you looked so exhausted." She looked back at him. "Jason's sick, Tommy, something's wrong…on the plane, he was glowing red."

Tommy's face fell. He suddenly felt like she had shoved her hand down his throat and clamped her fist around his stomach.

Kimberly saw it straight away. "Tommy, what's going on? Why did these men come and take us?"

_God, she doesn't know…I can't tell her, she'll be devastated…_

She continued to talk, oblivious to his internal struggle. "No one should have even known where I was…I can't afford for this to happen, I start intensive training for the World's in a week-."

He slid his elbows to his knees, and rested his heavy head in his hands. Her touch on his back was almost enough to strengthen him, but still the words didn't come. He didn't want the responsibility.

"Tell me, Tommy, for God's sake." She sounded hurt.

Tommy straightened himself up and stared intently at her. Why was he still trying to protect her, after all these years? It's not as though the horrible truth wouldn't come out soon enough. He couldn't shelter her this time, but he could try to soften the blow.

"Billy seems to know the most about it, but from what I've learnt, he believes our ranger powers have somehow exhausted our bodies…making us…sicker; weaker."

Kimberly frowned. "I gathered this had something to do with our powers, Tommy, but that doesn't make any sense to me- we haven't been rangers for years…and Jason, Trini, Zack and I gave our powers to other people."

Tommy nodded. "That doesn't seem to matter," he replied. "Once a ranger, always a ranger…after all this time, he thinks our bodies have been over extended."

Her eyes flicked away from his, and she glanced over the room of sleeping adults, before she looked back questionably.

"Where are Rocky and Zack?" she asked.

Tommy knew he didn't have a right, but he reached over and grabbed her hand, turning his body so he was directly facing her. Her eyes grew wide with trepidation, her lower lip falling softly. She didn't resist his advancement, and for that he was silently grateful.

"Zack's dead, Kim," he said, the words so quiet he wasn't sure if she'd heard him. "He died on Thursday night, from what Billy said were affects from his powers."

Kimberly blinked, eyes watery. Her lips moved, but no words sounded.

"I…"

"Kim…"

"Tommy, I…please tell me this isn't-."

"I'm sorry."

"God." She looked away, taking her hand with her, before she gazed back at him with such anger in her eyes. "This is bullshit, absolute-."

"We have to get you help," Tommy cut her off gently, a little off guard by her reaction. "We need to get you help straight away."

Kimberly lowered her head, soft tresses of dark hair hiding her anguish from him. Tommy tried to gently sooth her, but she brushed him off with a painful request to be left alone. With her plea repeated three times, he finally gave up and slumped against the wall, in time to watch the others slowly stir to the sound of Kimberly's strangled tears'.

* * *

"Mr. De Santos?" 

A moan, and then a groan; he swore he would have pushed the noise away if he had the strength to move his arms from under the suffocating blanket cocooning him.

Damn, it was the best sleep he'd had in weeks.

So while Rocky feebly attempted to open his heavy eyes, it was the realization of waking that brought the memories flashing back to him.

The agony in his car; the strange visitors to his door offering him answers that buckled Rocky's knees but offered him some form of bitter hope.

He released a quick breath, his eyes snapping open.

The man beside his bed glanced down on him with a peculiar look that Rocky could only catch over the thick mask that covered his mouth and nose, and the protective clothing that ballooned around the man's limbs'.

"Mr. De Santos, how are you feeling?"

He had to think about it for a moment. "Good," he nodded in surprise. "The pain has gone."

The older man turned his back on him and approached a nearby bed, scribbling something down on what looked to be a pad of paper.

Rocky gulped. "Am I dying?" he asked, valiantly keeping his voice even.

The man turned around, but once again, the expression creases in his face revealed nothing. "You have a stomach ulcer, Mr. De Santos," he replied. "You're in the infirmary. Get changed, and you can be escorted to your companions."

The stranger walked out of a metal door and disappeared without another word. Rocky scrunched his face up, unsure of how to feel about all the events that had led to that moment. He sure as hell felt a relief he couldn't express about the fact that he wasn't dying as first thought, but now he was feeling nothing short of embarrassed.

_Damn it, I wonder where the others are?_

It took him a good few minutes to rip the heavy blankets out of the bed so he could pry his body free. There was a moment or two he felt unnerved by the fact that someone had managed to undress him while he lay unconscious in bed, but he pushed the thoughts away and gladly put his designer suit back on.

Thank God he'd worn his woolen suit to work, or else he would have been frozen by now. The air in the tiny room was almost thick, the chill in it enough to force him to rub his arms briskly across his torso to get warm.

He buttoned his jacket and moved eagerly toward the door, but pulled up suddenly as he heard what sounded like a heated conversation from the side of the nearby wall. Unable to contain his curiosity, Rocky walked toward the gray wall, and pushed his ear toward it with hope of achieving some sort of clarity.

_"I just want to see them- where the hell is Kim?"_

"_Mr. Scott, I suggest you calm your anger at this time, or else you won't be able to see anyone," _another voice replied_. "You are under strict orders. Such a rise in emotions could have a serious effort on your lagging health."_

Rocky stepped back and frowned. Jason Scott- his predecessor- the original red ranger. Was something wrong with him? With Kimberly?

A loud whoosh startled Rocky as the exit behind him suddenly swung open. He immediately spun around and concealed his guilt, but forgot it quickly as he noticed one of the people on the other side.

"Mr. De Santos, follow me please."

Rocky blinked, but quickly hurried through the door, brushing up against Jason as they followed the man slowly down a narrow corridor.

Rocky quickly looked over his shoulder and noticed another uniformed man behind them. He looked back at Jason, trying to speak as low as possible. "What the hell is going on?"

Jason's eyes' were plastered on the concrete ground beneath them and only managed to flick in Rocky's direction.

Rocky frowned, shocked at the eerie redness that flushed on Jason's skin. "Are you okay, man?"

"What did they tell you?" Jason finally spoke in a low voice.

Rocky's face drew thoughtfully. "They told me all the guys are here…that our powers are making us sick," he admitted. "I've been having stomach problems for awhile and thought…" he stopped, feeling embarrassed. "I overheard you next door."

Jason nodded ever so fleetingly. "When they left my room, I tried to break the lock on one of the doors…needless to say, when someone's got something to hide…"

Rocky blinked. "What do you think they're hiding? I thought they said they were going to help us."

Jason's eyes' darkened. "I don't trust them. They forced me to come to this living hell and separated me from Kim. I haven't seen her since. Instead of telling me where they took her, they locked me up in this room and tell me I'm dying and that Zack's dead-."

"What?" Rocky cut him off, stopping suddenly on the spot.

The officer behind the two former rangers stared coolly at Rocky, and he reluctantly picked up his pace.

"Jason, man, tell me-."

"I don't want to say too much in front of them," Jason whispered back, flicking his eyes in a motioning gesture.

Rocky sighed and nodded, trusting the man's judgment.

The rest of the walk to their destination was one of the longest Rocky had ever experienced. He tried to catch Jason's glance on more than a few occasions, but he never moved his anchored eyes, which were bleeding with an undisguised weariness and sadness. Rocky knew how close the original red and black ranger's were- If what Jason told him was true, than Rocky could only imagine the pain that he was experiencing.

All Rocky knew was that he had to see his former teammates. Whatever horror was going down, Rocky anticipated he only knew the half of it.

* * *

It was only half an hour later and everyone glanced down at the plate on their laps. The neatly made sandwiches looked as harmless as any others, yet it was funny what being locked up in a government facility did to your mind. One minute you were so hungry you felt like throwing your own stomach acids up and then next, you didn't want to put the food to your lips, fearing its consumption would kill you. 

Jason prodded the white bread several times, trying his best to conceal his own concern as he watched his friends begin to slowly nibble on their meal. After watching them all take several bites, he sighed and slowly took his first.

He didn't feel like eating. But then again, he knew he needed the energy. After a reunion of dramatic exchanges with the eight remaining former rangers, Jason was clearly feeling the affects to his body.

Kimberly suddenly lowered her sandwich dramatically to her plate and let out a sour noise. "Ewe. Yuck."

Jason's heart started to race. "What's wrong?" he asked her, hoping that they hadn't all eaten something poisonous.

She scrunched her face up. "I can't stand jelly…it reminds me of the way my dad used to make it for me."

Jason tried not to roll his eyes, wishing he could strangle her for making him so worried. He took another bite, watching with strange curiosity as Rocky downed his sandwich in as little as five bites. At least someone in the room was feeling better.

"So, did they say anything to you guys about our condition?" Aisha asked up, leveling her gaze toward the two former red rangers.

Rocky shrugged, his mouth still busily chewing.

"They gave me some aspirin for my headache," Jason replied, deciding to lie about the doctor's warning to him. There was no way he would bring the rest of his friends down, especially if most of them weren't sick at all.

"What about the glowing?" Tommy pressured, unable to let it go. "You and Kim are both still glowing."

Kimberly straightened herself up, almost as if the news was new to her. Jason tried to appear non-worried.

"They observed me for a while and stuff, but uh, they said that I'm fine and that with treatment Kim and I will stop glowing."

"So when do you think they're going to tell us more about what treatment they plan to give us?" Katherine asked.

Adam calmly spoke up. "Well, the last time that Agent Johns came and spoke to us, he told us that they were pretty sure they had an antidote that would eliminate the degenerative affect that our powers could have on us. Maybe they needed to make sure that we were all in good enough health to undergo therapy?"

Jason nodded, agreeing with Adam's reasoning. Over the year or so he'd gotten to know the training paramedic well, he always saw a great maturity in thinking that the others lacked at times.

The silence returned as everyone returned to their eating, but a painful reminder soon took any appetite Jason had away from him.

_Zack_. Why did Kimberly have to bring Zack up?

"When do you think they will let us have a funeral for Zack?" she suddenly asked quietly, her eyes plastered on the ground.

The mood plummeted. No one wanted to talk.

"Do you think his parents know how he died?"

Adam glanced softly at Kimberly. "I'm sure they'll release the details of his death in a respectable way, without risking the secret of his past. I'm sure they don't want to risk causing any alarm in the public."

Kimberly looked unconvinced. Beside her, Trini swiftly stood up and walked to the other side of the room, turning her back on them all as she sat down in a lone seat in the corner.

Jason's heart broke at the sight, but he didn't follow her. As much as wanted to consol his lifelong friend, he knew they were both similar in the way they handled grief- they needed time, and most importantly, they needed space.

"Guys, if something's wrong with our powers, then why don't we just go to Zordon?" Rocky suddenly questioned, as though to change the subject.

Funnily enough, Jason hadn't even thought about Zordon since they'd arrived. He'd been too consumed in Zack's death and concern for the well-beings of his friends to think rationally about the situation.

Tommy straightened himself up. "I think that's the first thing we need to do when they release us from here," he suggested. "To be honest, whatever intelligence the IBI has on us, I don't think they're capable in handling this. These powers are from another world- the only person we should be consulting over this is Zordon."

"Then why don't we just tell them that?" Aisha spoke up. "I mean, why are we all sitting around in this creepy place, when we could be getting help from the person who knows us best?"

"I agree with Aisha," Kimberly added swiftly. "Zordon would want to know about this…besides, these weird guys in suits don't seem to doing anything fast about this. They made it seem like we were all about to die, and now we're here they haven't done a thing for us."

Jason lowered his plate to the floor. "When was the last time you guys spoke to Zordon?"

Everyone exchanged an almost guilty glance. Jason shared the same shame, but he was surprised to see that the more recent rangers hadn't kept in some sort of touch with their mentor.

"After the last battle…a couple of weeks after that," Tommy paused, as though he were picturing the memory in his mind as he spoke. "That was when we handed our morphers and coins over for safe keeping."

Jason rocked back a little in his chair. He hadn't realized everything had been finalized in such a concrete way. It was never really discussed.

"You guys handed your morphers back in?"

Katherine glanced at Tommy before replying. "We agreed it would be the safest thing to do. I guess it was too risky keeping them in our rooms or our belongings where somebody could find them."

"He said he'd contact us if anything ever came up," Adam admitted.

"So you guys still have your communicators on you?" Jason asked hopefully. Despite giving his powers up what seemed like lifetime ago, Jason had never strayed far from his communicator.

_If only I'd remembered to put it on before I came here…_

Tommy pursed his lips. That was enough of a response.

"Mine's in my bedroom," he finally admitted.

"So is mine," Adam backed him up.

"Does anyone have their communicator?" Jason asked, eyeing the others with sinking faith.

"Yeah, well it always did go so well with everything I wore," Kimberly commented with a hint of jaded sarcasm.

Jason eyed her disparagingly and she blinked apologetically. "I haven't worn mine since I left Angel Grove…there haven't been any attacks for nearly five years, so why would we even think to wear them?"

_Damn it…who knows if Zordon hasn't tried to contact us? He could be trying to contact us right now, and we wouldn't even know it._

Tommy stood up, and walked over to the door, knocking on the tiny glass window. They all watched for a moment, before a familiar face poked through from the other side of the glass.

"What is it?" Agent Johns asked, his voice muffled by the door that remained between them.

"We'd like it if someone came and told us what was going on…if you don't mind, we thought this situation was an emergency?" Tommy said flatly.

"It is, Mr. Oliver," the agent responded without emotion. "One of your teammates is already dead, choked by his own powers…I suggest you sit back down in your chair and let us do what we need to do."

Jason frowned, as Tommy spoke back up, the frustration clearly in his tone. "What is it that you need to do? You said you knew what was wrong with us and that you knew how to fix us, so why don't you just do it?"

"We do know all about you, Mr. Oliver," Agent Johns conceded, "but no one else can know about you. Your lives depend on me now. I'm afraid that this isn't as simple as first relayed to you."

Jason quickly sat up, pacing furiously toward the door. "What do you guys want from us?"

The man's face remained steady, but the corner of his mouth curled up ever so slightly, infuriating Jason at the same time.

"You don't plan to help us, do you?" Jason pressured, slamming his palm against the door. "Is this some sort of experiment; do you get off from watching us squirm in this box?"

"I'd rest easy, Mr. Scott…I'd hate for you to cause any trouble for your friends…" as his sentence drained out, Agent Johns casually turned away and started up the hall, away from their room.

"Damn it!" Jason angrily slammed his palm against the door again, uncaring of the pain that shot through his arm.

He rested his forehead against the wooden surface, not responding as he felt Tommy's hand on his shoulder.

_I can't believe it…we stuffed up…what the hell were we thinking coming to this place?_

"They're not going to help us, are they?" Kimberly's tiny voice quivered in Jason's direction.

_We've gotta reach Zordon…somehow…_

---

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

_**Teaser for Chapter 6 "Calm before the Storm":**_

The hinges screamed for mercy, but the creaking was instantly drowned as feet trampled through the door at an incomprehensible speed.

Everything instantly became a crazy, messed-up daze.

_A/N – Sorry about the delay in posting this chapter. Life's been crazy and I've been back and forth in between cities for my cancer treatment. The following chapters will be posted more regularly. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews, its really exciting to read all your opinions! Thanks for reading!_


	6. Calm Before the Storm

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter Six – Calm Before the Storm**

**

* * *

**

Hank Cranston was a quietly proud man.

He'd experienced success throughout his life; praise for his intelligence and admiration for his 'brilliance'. Most things came easy, and most things he'd wanted, he'd managed to get somewhere along the line.

He was lucky.

Throwing away his life for science, however, and there wasn't much underneath. Without it, the only things he had were his two sons. They were something that he was equally proud of, and the only good thing that happened to him outside his world of gadgetry and formulas.

With every year that they got older, he'd found himself closer to them both. With the death of his wife, the only woman he'd ever truly felt love for, it was only natural that they would all come together. Although not always outwardly expressive in their feelings toward one and other, Hank loved his children and they all cared for each other in their own private way.

That's why he never wanted them mixed up in any of this. God, how was he supposed to know? Had he known, he never would have gotten involved, but now it was too late.

He always promised he'd protect his youngest son.

As Hank walked though the tunnels of his work, their eyes all looked at him with a strange sense of smugness. Their gazes unnerved Hank. He was angered by the whispered voices that promised secrets he was now excluded from hearing. He was an outcast now, just like the nine teenagers were.

That was the horror of being a parent of a power ranger.

A figured walked into the small office, a confidence clear in his stride that never used to be there.

"Hank, it looks as though Mr. Scott and Miss. Hart are deteriorating rapidly and I do not know how long I can fend off their persistent questioning."

Hank glanced at Agent Robert Johns. He'd worked with the Canadian for nearly half a decade, and had always been drawn to his desire for science and passion for extraterrestrial exploration.

But Hank didn't believe his words anymore. He had to stand up against them.

Hank cleared his voice. "Robert, maybe you'll get more cooperation from them, if you enlighten them on what you know. They are smart kids, all of them- I'm sure they'll be keen to assist us if we tell them the truth."

Hank heard him almost snigger. "They're practically aliens, Hank- we don't negotiate with aliens, remember?"

"My son is not an alien!" Hank's words sputtered. "They are human beings. I want them treated no differently than anyone else. Don't you forget the sacrifice those kids made to save this planet."

Robert sat down in the chair opposite him, almost quiet for a moment. "I just think that there is more to what they know…I doubt very much if we ask them to tell us about their ranger days that they'll share and tell."

"That investigation has been closed for years- surely the only thing that should matter now is their well-beings?" Hank argued.

There was a sigh. Here came the blow.

"There's been a change of plans-."

"Don't do this to me, Robert," Hank cut him off bluntly, as he swiftly leant over the table between them. "That's my kid in there."

"I'm sorry Hank, but I'm going to have to ask you to stand down from this case…it's become too personal-."

Hank stood up, angrily adjusting his glasses, before he pointed a rigid hand at him. "You will not keep my from my son, you hear me? I've been part of this since the start-."

"And, you don't know shit about it!" Robert lashed out, tossing a file toward him.

The folder sprawled open, and pages leapt into the air, falling messily around the tiny room as the two men stared each other down.

Hank tried to calm his breath. His azure gaze trickled over the mess, until something caught his eye, and he leaned down to scoop up a lone page beside his feet.

The words didn't make sense. It was a report, like the many Hank had written in his time as an agent for the IBI, yet it didn't mean anything to him. The words, they were brutal- they were shocking.

He read them again.

And again.

His pulse was quickening, the world around him falling away as he realized for the first time that he had been used and deceived through the one passion he'd lived for.

Everything was so much worse than he'd predicted. He'd been fooled and played.

He tried to swallow the saliva in his mouth. "What is this?"

No reply. Hank glanced up, frowning as he noticed Robert was no longer there. He turned his head quickly to the side, just in time as he felt the cold metal pressed against the side of his temple.

* * *

The room was strangely quiet. A reunion between friends, who were closer than any other, should have been filled with gossip and friendly boasting, but the situation in the waiting room couldn't have been any different. 

It was almost icy cold.

Hours had ticked by, and not much was said, except for the occasional whispering between certain pairs, and a frequent exchange in empty glances. Aisha and Katherine were talking in the corner; Jason and Tommy sat beside each other in silence. Adam would occasionally talk to whoever caught his glance, while Kimberly and Trini both sat on their own, choked in their own grieving for the lost black ranger.

Billy…didn't really seem like Billy, not at least the one Rocky had seen for his 21st birthday. The brilliant young man was lacking everything he'd once been.

He was pretty much a zombie.

Of course, Rocky hadn't been there when he'd apparently had a run in with Tommy over the death of Zack. Adam had mentioned it to him briefly, but even with a lack of detailed description, the former red ranger could see something had definitely happened.

How quickly a group of friends could be changed.

No one wanted to talk, which Rocky was inwardly pissed off about, but he bit his tongue. Now that it was more than clear they'd all fell into a massive trap, it was almost as though thought processes just weren't happening. How a group of intelligent, bright people could succumb to such hopelessness was enough to make Rocky angry.

He sighed at the thought and glanced down at his watch. Its expensive silver band was the only thing that glistened in the gloomy lighting from above. It was just after four in the afternoon, and he was getting tired and very sore from sitting in the one position.

He walked around occasionally. He'd even gone to the adjoining restroom more times than necessary, just so he had something to do. Despite the surrealness of his predicament, Rocky even found himself thinking of such things as his new ex-girlfriend and his presentation for work the following week.

God, he wasn't going to just sit around in a mess.

Rocky began to fiddle aimlessly with the buttons on his jacket, as he heard a noise come from outside the constricting room. Footsteps echoed from the hallway, each pound trickling closer in their direction.

Tommy and Jason were quickly on their feet. Rocky frowned and exchanged a glance with Adam, as they all seemed to wait.

It was probably dinner. At least he hoped so, going by the gurgling from his stomach.

The knob turned slowly; carefully. There was nothing threatening in its movement, except for when the door finally flung open in one jerking sweep. The hinges screamed for mercy, but the creaking was instantly drowned as feet trampled through the door at an incomprehensible speed.

Everything became a crazy, messed-up daze.

"Put your hands up and get down on your knees!" a voice hollered so loud, it was almost deafening.

But, no one waited for them to follow the instructions, nor did any of the former rangers have a moment to process them. Men in protective uniforms grabbed at them all, pulling them to their feet, and dragging them hopelessly out of the room. Rocky was convinced that his quick feet to their legs would stop them, but he couldn't feel his limbs, let alone move them to defend himself.

There were maybe four holding onto him. Damn, they had the grip of an iron clamp.

Noise was everywhere. Arms and legs were kicking and moving, but everything became hopeless. Tommy and Jason's insistent growling was overcome by shrieking and cries for help from some of the girls.

Rocky felt his legs give way as they dragged him into the hallway, and without the use of his arms to break his fall, he fell awkwardly to his knees. The men didn't stop, though, and continued to pull him along harshly without any care to the fact that the jagged concrete floor was ripping at the skin of his knees.

He let out a high-pitched groan, before his tired head gave way and he lowered his face to the ground. His eyes dropped aimlessly behind him, and he felt his entire expression drop further at the sight of his friends' desperation.

"Let us go!" Katherine cried out at least a dozen times, as he watched her struggle to maintain her stance.

He could see Aisha bravely attempting to fight back beside the former pink ranger, but her insubordination only forced the uniformed men to fling her harshly to the ground, before they threw themselves on top of her and dragged her along the floor.

Rocky could feel his shoulders shudder at the impact as the terrible trip down the hall continued. He tried several times to call out, to at least shout his worth, but the words never sounded. He was breathing way too hard to even consider speaking, and he began to worry that his stomach ulcer would end up bursting after such an event.

His body was not prepared when the dragging suddenly came to a grinding halt, and the four sets of arms carelessly shoveled his limp body through a tight entrance way. Rocky scrambled to his knees as he finally felt his body free, but by the time he had managed to reach his feet, it was too late.

The cell door was already shut.

"What the hell is this?" he shouted angrily, as he watched the last of his former teammates be thrown into similar cages.

Kimberly was the last one to be dragged toward the small collection of cells. It was clear the three men were struggling to pull her along as she managed to briefly free her left leg and catch one of them in the groin region. He screamed out in agony and even Rocky cringed inwardly at the sight.

The heavily dressed men flocked to the scene and the mob managed to shovel Kimberly into Rocky's cell. Rocky did his best to fight back, pushing back on Kimberly in an effort to propel them back out the door, but the pressure of six grown men was too much, and they both powerlessly fell backward.

"What is going on?" Jason's voice boomed loudly from the cell next-door, as the men all began away from their cells. "You can't just leave us here!"

Rocky lowered his head in his hand, unable to find the strength or purpose to stand up again.

* * *

_**Hart Residence, **_

_**23 Valley Ave, Angel Grove**_

Unbeknownst to the horrors his daughter was enduring beneath the green and lush hills of Angel Grove, Phillip Hart was busily spending his Saturday the way he had the previous weekend- Working on his car in the garage of his single story home, with the small television blaring from nearby.

He wasn't really watching the television; truthfully, he never really did have much of an interest for such things. Or time. A lot of people really did just sit and zone out, but Phillip was complacent enough in his life to fill it with things that he found more worthwhile.

From beneath the open bonnet, a head quickly popped out. His teenage son had grease rubbed into his flushed cheek, but didn't seem to notice.

"Try and make her purr," he commented with pride in his eyes.

Phillip turned the key in the ignition. The antique car painfully attempted to turn over, but quickly began to splutter, until it drowned into a low murmur.

The bonnet dropped closed and Phillip matched his son's exhausted expression. They had spent the past four Saturdays working on the tired machine, and Phillip was starting to think he had made a mistake when he'd decided that refurbishing the vehicle would be a relaxing and enjoyable hobby.

Phillip hopped out of the driver's seat. "Feel like some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner?"

"Sure dad," he squirmed his face a little. "Just make sure you lay off the jelly a bit on mine…last time I thought I was gonna choke on whole strawberries."

Phillip slapped his son on the head, ruffling his hair, before they headed into the small kitchen. The benches were covered with unnecessary clutter, and the moment Phillip started on the lazy dinner, he thought he should probably get around to putting it away.

Apparently his son thought the same thing. "You really need to get a girlfriend," he joked, before his face drew serious. "Okay, scratch that- I don't want to even think about that."

Phillip sniggered at his son's mischievous comment. "Turn that television down, please."

Ryan sighed and lazily dragged himself off the stool. It still stunned Phillip just how lazy teenage boys were. Ryan was sixteen, and yet he still did everything in his power to get out of helping out, unless of course it came with an incentive. Surely Phillip hadn't been like that at his age, right?

"Oh wait, dad, they've got that show on…" Ryan laughed a little, and then threw his head over his shoulder. "Check out this- man!" he hooted.

Phillip narrowed his gaze. "Turn that rubbish off."

"But dad-."

"Now," Phillip ordered, as he carelessly spilled Jelly on the bench. He grabbed the cloth and quickly cleaned it up, before returning his attention back to disciplining his son. "Put the news on."

Ryan groaned exaggeratedly. "There's never anything interesting to watch…" he complained.

Phillip sighed loudly. "It's just starting…I would like to see what the courts decided on the Man Hackle trial."

The television swiftly flew through a mass of channels, before it settled on the telltale tune of the opening news report. Phillip passed Ryan a stack of sandwiches, before he flopped down on the two-seater couch and arranged himself comfortably.

The first two news stories were much the same, discussing the recent developments in town square. Phillip didn't really agree with all the money the local government wasted on such renovations, especially on a city that didn't need it. Some said they were used to spending the money following years of devastating alien attacks, but that was half a decade ago now.

Besides, there was such a thing as going overboard or becoming obsessed with perfection. Angel Grove was losing all character by transforming itself into almost a 'display' metropolis.

"I reckon they should say to all the people that left Angel Grove during the attacks, that they can't move back now…that sucks that they get the same benefits as we do now," Ryan commented.

Phillip was about to discipline him on the slang, but decided to forget it. "It's good for the economy. Insurance rates are at an all-time low, and everyone wants to be us- we should feel privileged," he shared, although privately he didn't really agree with his statement.

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Whatever," he said with attitude.

The pretty news anchor suddenly stopped mid report, however and her eyes nervously moved around before she quickly attempted to compose herself.

"Our apologies, viewers, but we've just received a disturbing report. Details are sketchy at this time, but police have confirmed that three male citizens have been shot down in a shocking altercation on the outskirts of Angel Grove. Police have said they have the situation under control, but are currently in the process of obtaining the two individuals responsible. As soon as we have more details, we will update you on this unfortunate incident."

"Hey…maybe the news isn't so bad, after all," Ryan joked.

Phillip frowned. "You shouldn't take enjoyment from other's pain."

Ryan rolled his eyes and took a bite of his last sandwich. "You are too serious, dad."

Suddenly, a sharp knock on the door echoed into the living room. Ryan jumped up, and nearly tossed his plate onto the couch, before running toward the door.

"I bet you that's Matt," he enthused, as he swung the door open.

Phillip was waiting to hear excited greetings and swapping of teenage gossip, but looked over his shoulder as he heard a much lowered, more mature voice greet his son.

"Dad…" Ryan's voice sounded strangely nervous.

Phillip wiped his hands on his pants and headed to the door, stopping short as the police officer on the other side lowered his hat.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Hart, my name is Officer Ford and this is my partner, Officer Moore. We were wondering if we might come in?"

"What is this about?" Phillip asked cautiously. He'd never had a run in with the law, except for the odd parking ticket in town.

"We were wondering if your daughter Kimberly may be staying with you at this time?"

Phillip's face drew confused. "My daughter is vacationing up north at the moment," he admitted. "She hasn't been home for two years…can I ask you why the police are looking for my daughter? Has her safety been threatened?"

The officer had That look on his aged face. "Mr. Hart, I would prefer not to discuss this with you in your doorway. We have reasons to believe that your daughter has been directly involved in a serious shooting incident just this afternoon and it's imperative that we speak with her immediately."

"Shooting incident?" Phillip's voice shook a little.

"She has been positively identified by over ten individuals as dispensing a firearm and shooting down two government officials-."

"My daughter is on the other side of the country!" Phillip raised his voice.

"We have records of your daughter flying into Angel Grove airport this morning. Her ticket was purchased alongside a Mr. Jason Scott, who was also involved in the incident this afternoon. We have several witnesses on the plane who witnessed Miss. Hart on that flight."

Phillip was speechless. It couldn't be possible, and yet somehow, it was real.

"The three men shot today all died from their wounds…I know this is extremely difficult, but the more assistance and cooperation you can offer us, the better the outcome will be for Kimberly."

---

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

_**Teaser for Chapter 7 "Proof":**_

She threw her head up and screamed like a wounded animal, her face unmistakable.

It was Kimberly.

_A/N - I know, I know, not a lot of answers...next chapters will bring on a new light for everything that's taking place now...thanks to everyone who's reading and I hope you'll continue to enjoy it. On another topic, I'm hoping to update my other story shortly and I appreciate everyon'e patience because I know it's been a long time coming...Have a great day!_


	7. Proof

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter Seven – Proof**

_A/N- Chapter contains some course language, and therefore the story's rating has been changed to reflect this._**  
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Kimberly stretched her legs out, concealing a grimace as she rested her head against the concrete wall. She didn't want to lose the little warmth she'd built up from hugging her knees to her chest, but she was starting to grow restless. Her legs were cramping, and were clearly not used to her sitting around and doing nothing.

"Do you want my jacket?"

She looked up at Rocky, only realizing it was the first time she'd really looked at the former red ranger since their sudden reunion. Kimberly could remember he'd always favored more casual wear back at school, and she had to admit he looked more than out of place in his expensive suit now.

The only thing that was missing from their confinement was a jail uniform.

"No thanks," she replied, moving her gaze from him.

Beside her, only a palm length away in the cell next-door, Jason and Tommy were talking about the sudden change of events. Everyone was contributing to the discussion with desperation from their small cells, but Kimberly remained mostly quiet. Asides from feeling a mix between fear and annoyance, her brain was struggling to catch up with all the horrid events that were quickly following each other.

"…and there is no way that we can let this happen, when we stand for good," Tommy finished his long winded speech.

"Well, I think the first thing we need to do is find a way to get through to these people that we're not a risk here," Jason added, finally reverting to his old, calm self.

Kimberly scoffed unintentionally, and then quickly tried to offer a blank look as everyone's gaze fixed on her.

"You got a problem, Kim?" Jason asked.

"No…" she sighed. "It's pointless going over this over and over again- I don't care what reason they think they have to lock us up, but I just want to get out of here and get back to my life. End of story."

Jason shook his head. "Is that the only thing that matters to you?"

"Well, no, but…" she was hesitating. "I chose to give up my ranger powers a long time ago- I don't want this. After what happened in Seréshis, I wanted nothing but return to a normal life."

"Kim, this is bigger than Seréshis. I know out of everyone here you had a lot to deal with after that, but we can't run away from our commitments now," Jason persuaded her gently.

Kimberly pursed her lips. "Anthony will have a fit when I don't show up to practice tomorrow…his father will kill me for ruining his career, as well as mine."

"Who's Anthony?" Rocky asked with seeming interest.

Kimberly could see the strange look from Tommy in the corner of her eye, but she did her best to avoid it directly. "He's my skating partner…truth be told, we're the only hope for the title in this year's World's."

"Is he the guy in that 'Short Ice Sporting' advertisement with you?" Rocky asked. "That must have been awesome working with those guys…"

Kimberly raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You know about that advertisement?"

"Yeah," Rocky stated enthusiastically. "I have a meeting with Stanley Johnson tomorrow…I'm in the running to secure exclusive access to a multi-million dollar advertising project that we've been working on for almost a year…" the excitement from his eyes dimmed somewhat. "Damn, the meeting…" he moaned. "I can't friggin' believe I'm gonna miss it…"

"Guys…we need to focus," Tommy gently intervened. "This isn't this best time for any of us to be here, but our lives are more important than careers and meetings…"

Kimberly bit her tongue. Despite her personal frustrations, Tommy's words' were honestly spoken and as powerful as they'd been during their time together as rangers. Like Jason, he had a funny way of making any terrible situation seem better. She was glad that he hadn't lost that spirit in the passing years.

"These guys have been brutal with us," Adam spoke up from his shared cell with Katherine and Aisha. "We may need to consider using some kind of force with them. I don't want people getting hurt, but if we don't take a stance, then who knows what might happen next?"

Tommy nodded. "Billy, you must know more about this place than us…where are the exits in this place?"

Kimberly watched Billy remain motionless from his sitting position, staring almost eerily in nowhere particular.

"I don't know," he replied glumly.

"I thought you said you worked here?" Tommy pushed gently.

Billy squared his gaze on their former leader. "I've only been as far as the front lobby and the first two offices…the first time I've been in this area was with you guys."

Tommy's eyes' flared a little, and Kimberly watched him carefully with growing uneasiness.

"Billy, we need you to think now," Tommy said. "I don't-."

"Why?" Billy cut him off, standing and briskly walking to the front of his cell. "Because good ol' nerdy Billy will get everyone out of the predicament? I answered your questions honestly. You're the leader- you make the choice."

Tommy lips twisted, and he turned, his gaze catching onto Kimberly's as he walked away to the corner. The group remained silent as Billy's last bitter words' continued to cut through the stale air, the only thing saving the moment, was the sound of approaching footsteps.

Kimberly quickly clambered to her feet and rushed to the front of her shared cell as she watched a group of three uniformed men. The first one stopped in front of her and grinned in a typical sleazy manner, Kimberly unable to hide her disgust.

"I thought you dogs might like a wash?" he announced, gesturing with his hand to his colleague as they unraveled what appeared to be a fire hose. "You can all shower together, or we can of course cater to…" he glanced at Kimberly, and then trickled his gaze to her female friends. "…Personal sponge baths."

Kimberly stepped back and squirmed her face, feeling grateful as Rocky quickly stepped to her side.

"They always say that the government is full of pigs, but who knew such sewage waste lurked in the dungeons of the IBI?" he muttered sarcastically.

The man clicked his neck and clacked his tongue loudly. "You got a smart mouth, kid…you might wanna rethink that, or else I'll be sure to make your living life a hell, you freak."

Kimberly didn't have a moment to move, before a sudden burst of water screamed from the water hose without warning. The uniformed men showered them all in the water, the brutal force sending Kimberly falling deliriously into the wall behind her. The liquid rampage continued to ravage them all, and even after it suddenly stopped, Kimberly's back was throbbing from the water's impact.

She was panting loudly, tears of pain silently falling as she kept her face to the wall.

"What the hell do you guys want from us?" Jason's angered voice yelled viciously.

Kimberly could hear the men's footsteps disappear, and slowly dropped to her knees, turning only as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Tommy asked quietly, as water trickled from his brow.

He moved his hand back through the bars between them and she quickly folded her arms over her chest, conscious of the fact that she was wearing white. "We need to get out of here," she whispered back, her chin quivering as the wintry chill began to overwhelm them all.

* * *

"They have this wrong." 

"I know they do, Caroline."

"So why are you just sitting there and doing nothing?"

Phillip sighed and reluctantly glanced at his ex-wife, surprised at how angry inside he felt just looking at her. He could barely remember there had been a period of sixteen years where they had loved each other, but then again on serious contemplation, Phillip quickly realized it was more like three.

And there were a lot more years that hate burned harder than anything else between them.

He had been dealing with the shocking news about his only daughter to an at least bearable level, until Caroline Menzies had arrived. Despite the seriousness of the meeting, he couldn't resist an internal snigger at her overdone outfit and was honestly unsurprised that she was still pretentious as ever.

"Phillip? Are you not listening to me?"

"What do you want me to do?" he finally asked, staring at her while her shoulders lowered slightly.

Her bottom chin started to tremble slightly. "I need you to fix this situation. When word gets out about this to the papers, Kimberly's hopes for the World's-."

"Stop it, for God's sake!" Phillip snapped, standing up and viciously throwing himself around to stare at her. "You're still as fucking stupid as you ever were- do you really think that the most important thing here is Kimberly's celebrity status? Our daughter is being charged with murder alongside a boy who I know would never do anything like this!"

Caroline's lips' remained slightly agape, the tears dried up by the time he had finished his sudden outburst. For a moment, Phillip suddenly felt bad for speaking so harshly, but before he could compose himself, the door opened into the room and a familiar couple walked in.

Phillip released a breath. He knew he must have looked like a crazed animal.

"Caroline; Phillip…"

Caroline stood up quickly, running a quick hand over her skirt before she responded. "Have you heard from Jason?" she asked, forgoing any proper greeting.

Ian and Kathleen Scott seemed too stunned to speak at first, but Jason's mother eventually found her voice. "Do you really think that Jason and Kimberly did this?"

Phillip shook his head. "You know they didn't."

"I've arrange for our attorney Simon Conroy to meet us here in twenty minutes," Caroline shared. "It might be worth our while to compile what legal assistance we can…the police have told us they apparently have concrete evidence that our children did this."

Kathleen shook her head sadly. "This whole incident makes no sense…Jason was supposed to be in New York on a week-long business course. He wasn't even due back for another four days."

She folded her hands across her stomach, and Ian wrapped an arm around her shoulder. The door behind them opened up slowly, and the four adults watched as Officer Ford entered the room, their crestfallen postures highlighted by his confident stride.

"What is that?" Phillip asked, as he watched the detective put a videotape into the player in the room.

The detective pressed play and stood back from the screen, not bothering to gaze at the four parents as he replied. "This tape is proof that your children are the people we are searching for."

The footage was fuzzy at first, but quickly zoomed in on what appeared to be an altercation. The cameraman was mumbling quickly, his voice racing as a girl sprinted from the physical brawl, only to be tackled from behind by a man dressed in a suit.

She threw her head up and screamed like a wounded animal, her face unmistakable.

It was Kimberly.

Phillip watched his daughter attack the officer viciously, her legs brutally kicking him in the groin region, before she picked up a jagged rock and tore it across his cheek. The officer crumpled to his knees, before she swiftly grabbed his handgun from his belt and pointed it directly at him.

"_Oh my God. Oh my God. She's going to kill him! Oh my God!"_ the cameraman's voice was heard over the footage, as it zoomed in on Kimberly. The glint in her eyes showed not a hint of hesitation as she pulled the trigger, the camera dropping to the ground and thankfully missing the image of such a horrifying attack.

Phillip instantly dropped into the chair nearby as Caroline's knees folded and she lowered her head in her hands.

"No, Kimberly! Why?" Caroline cried hysterically.

Phillip avoided the emotional scene and stared directly at the detective. In a single moment, he suddenly felt the world had gone black. He was Kimberly's father and he loved her unconditionally; but no matter what he did now, he'd never be able to save her.

* * *

Only a few hours had passed, yet time didn't allow any clarity. Everybody was too cold to talk, and too weak to move. 

"Billy…are you okay?"

Billy blinked. Her voice was so gentle, the familiarity almost enough to coax him to reply, but he still managed to stop himself. He was afraid of what might come out of his mouth, especially in light of the brewing heat between himself and their former leader.

He felt her hand on his back, but quickly lowered his shoulder a little. As much as he wanted to talk with Trini, this wasn't the place, and it certainly wasn't the time.

He had to get over his own failure. He had unfairly lashed Tommy with his own frustrations, yet the truth of the matter was that Billy should have been the one to stop the entire situation before it even began. Now, he had to be the one to stop it before it became any worse.

_I have to find a way out of this place…there has to be some way-._

"Billy-."

He stood up, feeling her hand slide from his back as he did so. Walking toward the barred door that locked them in, he carefully inspected the lock, before Tommy's voice spoke up.

"We can't open them without a key. It looks like the lock was specially designed."

Billy nodded and courageously glanced at Tommy, his finger tips running up a stray piece of sharp metal. This was going to hurt.

As soon as he felt the sharp end of the wire, he swiftly moved the soft flesh of his palm across it. The wire wasn't quite sharp enough though, and although he tried his best to compose his reaction, he accidentally let out a pained cry.

"Billy!" Trini rushed to his side, pulling viciously on his shoulders.

He allowed her to spin him around, but refused to show her the wound.

Another voice quickly called out. "Billy! Billy, don't be-."

"I'm okay," he said to Adam. "Just let me do this."

It all funnily enough went to plan after that. It was all a matter of calling out to the guards for aid, and six men came and swiftly escorted Billy from the cell and toward the infirmary. His former teammates stared at him wide-eyed as he was dragged away, but Billy kept his expression neutral.

He owed it to them.

The medical attention wasn't at all tender, and Billy actually felt more pain from being restrained in handcuffs, than from the continuous throbbing from his wound. The man who carelessly cleaned his lesion made a few snide comments, before he swiftly added:

"If any of your little friends try this, I'll leave them there to bleed to death, understand?"

Billy nodded a little numbly, before he discreetly allowed his eyes to scope the room. To his utter frustration, there was very little to see- two make shift beds, some medical equipment of some kind, and a few monitors on a table that didn't appear to be turned on.

There were three doors…the one they brought him through, and then two others. He squinted his eyes a little, and he could have sworn one of the doors appeared to be damaged. He could see the area around the doorknob looked chipped, as though someone or something had tried to break in.

_I wonder why they would try to break their own door?_

"Hey, get him out of here."

Billy's focus shifted as he watched the man known as Agent Johns step into the doorway, his eyes resting coldly in his direction.

The man giving Billy his medical attention swiftly stood up, and pulled on Billy's handcuffs.

"Let's get you back to the pound, bitch," he jibbed in his ear.

Billy didn't resist the way he was pushed and shoved all the way back to his cell. For one, he was too physically exhausted to put up much of a fight, and secondly he didn't want to cause any further mistreatment to his friends. The water-soaking incident was bad enough, but he shuddered to think what such twisted minds would be capable of if they gave them the chance.

No one said a word as he was thrown back in his cell. The uniform men swiftly walked away, and as they were finally left alone, a quiet voice gently spoke up.

"What did you find?" Trini asked him.

Billy pursed his lips, not surprised that his friends had guessed his true motives. If only he had something worthwhile to offer them.

He glanced at Trini tenderly, before he looked across the hall to Tommy and Jason. "I didn't see an exit," he admitted in a soft voice. "They took me to an infirmary of some kind and I didn't see much there. My only guess is that the exit is further up the main hall. But it's clear that we're very much below ground level here."

Jason nodded. "Rocky and I were both in the infirmary rooms…while they had their back on me, I managed to unlock the door beside my bed, but I never got the chance to open it."

Billy raised his eyebrows curiously. "I noticed one of the doors appeared damaged. I wonder why they would damage their own door?"

"Because they're a bunch of maniacs," Aisha spoke up sarcastically from the cell beside him.

"So, what's the plan, guys? Take them out when they come to feed us?" Rocky suggested.

"_If_ they feed us," Kimberly muttered beside him. "After their so called shower, I don't think I want to eat anything served by them."

Billy was grateful they were all finally talking, even if no one had anything substantial to contribute. The pointless exchange continued, some of them even managing a few wry jokes, but Billy slowly lost concentration as he noticed Tommy's silence.

Silence was the loudest statement he could have made.

Billy stared at him, and he stared back, neither of them saying anything. Tommy's eyes' were as transparent as always, the way they gazed at him with a sorrow that was clearly unspeakable. The former white ranger had always felt every blow possibly more than anyone else, and Billy knew he'd overstepped the line when he'd snapped at him earlier.

"I'm sorry for talking to you like that before," Billy finally said to him. He was grateful the others were talking too loudly to overhear his apology. "I had no right to be angry with you. I guess I was taking my frustration out on you."

Tommy blinked several times.

"Don't worry about it," he finally conceded, but Billy was convinced the damage was already done.

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**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**Teaser for Chapter 8 "Fallen Pawn":**

_Tears blurred in her eyes as she turned her head the other way, noticing the sickening way in which Trini's head rested unnaturally, a think trickle of blood smudged on her arm like a mark of death._

_A/N - The mention of the name Seréshis by Kim and Jason is in regards to the rangers' final battle, but more on that in later chapters. A __fairly slow moving chapter, to be compensated by the following, more twisted chapters coming up next...so until then, thanks so much for reading and for your reviews. Have a great day! _


	8. Fallen Pawn

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter Eight – Fallen Pawn**

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Jason couldn't sleep. He could feel his entire body literally falling to sleep, but his mind was buzzing with electricity, painful images flashing between his forcibly closed lids.

"You okay?"

Jason blinked and slowly fluttered his eyes opens, before he rolled his head over to look at Tommy.

"Can't sleep?" Jason guessed.

Tommy sniggered quickly. "Yeah…" he conceded with a sigh, before looking back at him. "Are you feeling better now? You're not glowing anymore…"

Jason glanced down at his hands and raised his eyebrows with surprise. "That's a relief," he admitted. His eyes drifted over his watch and he groaned.

"I knew I should have bought a waterproof watch," he jiggled his wrist, feeling the heat return to his cheeks as he remembered the cruel joke played on them all those hours earlier.

Tommy chuckled, but it was lacking any genuine humor. He raised his wrist, flashing Jason a glance at his own watch.

"It's almost three am," Jason realized, although it was more to himself. He blinked. "I feel like I'm losing all sense of time in here."

Tommy tightened his arms around his knees. "I'm worried about trying to put a fight up today," he said. "I don't know if the others are up for it- I mean, Kimberly and Trini don't seem well and…"

Jason moved his eyes and rested them on the adjoining cell, his insides sinking as he realized the pink glow still flushed from Kimberly's exposed skin. At least she appeared to have found sleep, but by the state of her sagging body in the corner, she almost looked dead.

Just as he pictured Zack.

He curved his back over, trying his hardest to conceal the emotions beginning to grab hold of him at the thought, but Tommy reacted straight away.

He touched his back. "Kim's going to be okay," Tommy said quietly, but with an unhidden awkwardness.

Jason glanced at his closest friend and the all too familiar expression- God, Jason hasn't seen it in so many years.

He shook his head and rested it against the freezing roughness behind them.

"I was thinking of Zack," he admitted. He closed his eyes. "I really wasn't prepared for this," he added quietly.

Tommy stretched his legs out. "None of us were or could have been- but you can't blame yourself, bro- I've been living in this God damned city the whole time and never once suspected anything like this." He stopped short, releasing a bitter breath. "How naive were we to believe we could just walk away from it all?"

_I never wanted to…_

Jason sighed as Tommy rested a hand on his shoulder. "You should try and get some rest- you look you haven't slept in days," Tommy said.

Jason released a wry breath. "I haven't slept for days," he admitted. "I can't remember being this tired in a long time."

"I thought you said that medication was helping all of that now?"

Jason blinked. "I lied. It hasn't done anything, but I'm so sick of going through the same routine with each doctor."

"You should have told me, I told you my mom knows a good specialist in New York."

"Dr Paul Stanley?" Jason guessed.

Tommy rocked back a little. "You know about him?"

Jason moved his gaze, not certain of how to reply. It was different when he was talking about his own health, but he'd promised Kimberly he'd protect the truth behind hers.

"You right?" Tommy asked, as Jason remained quiet.

_Man, I don't feel good…_

"I uh," he lifted his hand to his forehead. "I feel strange. Something's not right." He let out a moan.

"What's happening?" Tommy asked, feebly keeping his voice low.

Jason felt as though something inside him snapped, and his head hit the wall behind him. He lost control of his limbs; his voice; self-control. Whatever agony had clamped his insides refused to let go and was twisting at him unbearably.

"What's happening to him?" he could barely here Kimberly's voice, even though he was certain she was screaming.

Tommy's fingers' started clawing at his face, prying his eyes open and trying to keep his head distant from the sharp, harsh wall behind them. His friend's eyes' were staring only a breath away from his, before Jason's suddenly gasped for breath and succumbed to an uncontrollable coughing fit.

"Please! Someone help him!" Kimberly started calling out. "He's going to die!"

* * *

Tommy's eyes' narrowed as the dark shadows approached their captive hell. He likened the approaching agent-in-charge with the feeling of impending doom-every new meeting bringing only more confusion and a certainty that they were all in grave danger. 

It was foolish to call for help. The last thing Tommy wanted was to risk them taking Jason away.

"Kim, I'm fine," Jason weakly murmured, as Tommy tried to help him up.

Kimberly shook on the bars one last time, before looking over with wide eyes. Her lips moved to speak, but her attention was swiftly stolen as Agent Johns stopped before her.

She flinched a little and stepped back into Rocky, grabbing hold of him with tense hands as though she needed help to stay standing.

Agent Johns seemed to stare blankly. "I need for you to lower your voices," he said evenly. "I don't want to take this any further."

Tommy's head quickly moved as Jason suddenly hunched forward, groaning painfully.

"Jase, are you okay?" Tommy asked with escalating concern.

He knew it was bad news if Jason couldn't conceal his pain.

"Jase," he shook his shoulders again, before glancing up. "He needs help."

"I can't help you. I don't know what is wrong with you."

"But you can't just let us die like this!" Kimberly snapped, shooting her arm out in between the gap in the bars.

Her hand hung limply nearly a foot away from the officer's face and he merely stared at it. "I told you, I cannot help you…this is the only way to deal with this, the only way to keep it hidden-."

"What are you trying to hide?" Aisha cut him off. "You dragged us into this place and people outside will notice when we're gone."

"Just tell us why you brought us here," Rocky added.

"It's too late-."

A haunting screaming suddenly echoed between the concrete channel causing them all to turn in its lingering direction. Agent Johns turned slowly and moved his hand to his waist as the patters of footsteps sounded toward them.

"Robson, you were ordered-."

"Lieutenant, there's an emergency in sector four," the skinny officer replied breathlessly, clumsily slowing to a stop.

Agent johns' eyes' darkened. "What emergency are you referring to?"

The younger officer's expression cowered with confusion. "I was posted on guard near room forty-six, when I noticed extensive damage to one of the doors and uh-."

"Damn it!" Agent Johns suddenly thundered, swiping his gun in an angry motion.

Tommy shared an anxious look with his teammates.

"What the hell is going on?" Jason groaned, his body still hunched over.

"I don't-."

"William!"

Tommy stared in disbelief as he watched a mob of ten uniformed officers drag Hank Cranston toward Agent Johns. The senior officer motioned with a cool stare and matching gesture, and the group immediately forced the captive scientist to his knees.

"Let him go!" Billy called out.

"You betrayed me Hank," Agent Johns stated.

The cracked glasses fell from Mr. Cranston's face as he lowered his head.

"You have to stop this now," he murmured. "How long did you think you could hide this?"

Agent Johns moved the tip of his gun running it up to the height of his old friend. "I warned you, Hank – I explicitly told you to stay away from this. You may have tried to stuff me around, but your efforts are for nothing-."

He stopped and spun around slowly on the spot as he stared at each of the former rangers. "No one will leave here!" he declared. "No one-."

"William, I'm sorry…" his father offered strangely emotionless.

By this point, the situation became drowned in too many voices. Tommy merely breathed out loud, uncontrollable breaths as he watched the unthinkable happen.

Agent Johns glanced over his shoulder at the ground as his steady fingers pulled the trigger and Hank Cranston's body snapped backward, crumpling to the ground.

* * *

_No! No! NO!_

"No! No!" Kimberly found her body falling heavily forward, her hands sliding down the bars, but failing to stop her as she slumped on the ground.

"You bastard!" Rocky viciously snapped, dropping down to Kimberly in an attempt to lift her up by under the arms.

Kimberly feebly tried to get her feet under her, but she was breathing so hard, all she wanted to do was be sick.

"How could he? How could he kill him?" she wailed. "How could you shoot him?" she screamed, slamming her fists against the bars.

She watched as Agent Johns finally turned from the lifeless body and stepped toward her, his footsteps leaving crimson prints behind.

"I'm sorry," he said without any emotion, before he turned to the other officers waiting behind him. "Get them."

Kimberly inhaled and fell forward as three uniformed officers immediately moved to open her cell. Rocky valiantly tried to move in front of her, but a solid whack across the face sent him slamming against the wall.

"No!" Kimberly shouted, as arms reached in and grabbed her around the ankles. She moaned heavily, twisting her body with all her force but she didn't have the strength, nor especially the energy.

"Let her go!" Billy's voice powerfully rose above the rest.

Kimberly let out a shriek as she felt her body drag out of the open cell. She grabbed hold of the nearby bars with the tips of her fingers, but her grip was weak; helpless.

"Tommy!" she cried out automatically, her eyes racing until they found him.

His eyes shot in her direction, but he seemed incapable to respond, instead too immersed in fending off officers that were dragging Jason out through his cell.

"Tommy…" she worded breathlessly, as her grip finally slipped and her capturers successfully pulled her into the corridor.

"Kimberly!" Katherine's voice echoed behind her.

Kimberly weakly moved her head to glance over her shoulder, any last-minute strength she had disappearing fast. Both Jason and Trini were being dragged in a similar fashion, and neither appeared to have the physical will to resist.

"Where are you taking us?" Kimberly practically whimpered, gasping out at every tug of her left hand that felt like fire.

_Oh God, what if they're taking us somewhere to kill us?_

As she watched them come up to an approaching doorway, she attempted to resist the men one final time, before she suddenly found her body lifted into the air without warning. How they managed to get her strapped down to a bed of some kind so easily frightened her most of all.

Everything flashed in front of her at that moment. Everything she wanted, everything she hoped for. Everything in her past; everything that led to that moment.

She wasn't ready to die. She didn't have that strength anymore.

"Let them go!" Jason barked out, as Kimberly watched them strap him to the bed beside her.

"Please don't do this," Kimberly begged, as she watched one of the men approach her with what was clearly a syringe.

She pulled harder on the straps, tugging and pulling as she felt the sharp point brush against her arm. With every fight left within her, she quickly snapped her head in his direction and bit down on his hand.

"Argh!" he howled loudly, stumbling backward.

Tears blurred in her eyes as she turned her head the other way, noticing the sickening way in which Trini's head rested unnaturally, a think trickle of blood smudged on her arm like a mark of death.

"Trini?" she shrieked, trying to sit up. "Trini, wake up!"

"Stay still you little bitch!"

Kimberly instantly felt the air whoosh out of her as the man clamped his hand down on her throat. From the position Kimberly couldn't do anything in response except to move her eyes for one last chance of hope.

"Kim…I'm…I'm so sorry-so-."

Kimberly noticed the glint in Jason's eyes'. It was the last thing she saw, before she felt the needle stab deeply into her tired flesh and the reality around her fell away…

--

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**Teaser for Chapter 9 "In a Blur": **

As his body remained slumped against the front of his cell, he could feel himself crying as everyone else started screaming and shrieking. It was all so loud, so vicious – but he didn't hear it.

He just stared at the dead body.


	9. In a Blur

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter Nine– In a Blur**

_A/N- Apologies for the delay in posting, my life has been extremely hectic...Thanks for reading, as always!_

* * *

_"Are they dead yet?"_

"_Their heart rates have considerably dropped… and they've all..."_

"…_What do we do with the others?"_

"_I don't-."_

Kimberly's eyes' snapped open, but slammed shut again as the lights above overwhelmed them. The voices in her head continued to speak, conversation and names familiar enough to hold her attention.

She opened her eyes ever so slowly, the haze around her mellowing out enough for her surroundings to become clearer.

Gray walls, Steel and cold air; men with no faces. No one was looking at her now.

Suddenly it hit her like a slap in the face.

"Jason?" she whispered.

Her fingers rolled against her clenched palms and she leveraged their strength, pulling hard on the straps that constrained her limbs.

"What the-."

Kimberly inhaled and pulled sharply with her right wrist, ignoring the numb tingling as her force broke through the thick restraint.

"Kim!"

Kimberly swung her free fist to the approaching uniformed man and hooked into his flesh with her nails. He slapped her in return, but a stronger grip from her other side knocked her attacker back so forcibly that the impact was startling.

"You should be dead!" the man spat viciously, moving his hand to his bloodied lip.

Kimberly was pulling wildly at her ankle straps. "What just happened?" she asked Jason breathlessly, as he practically ripped her remaining restraints like paper.

"Oh god," she scrambled off the bed, throwing her arms around Jason's shoulders'.

"You okay?" he asked.

She nodded. She felt surprising alert!

His eyes wandered. "They're gone," he noticed.

Kimberly glanced around with a burst of relief, but grabbed hold of Jason's arm as she noticed Trini. Lifeless. Not talking, not moving.

"Oh my gosh. Trini!" Kimberly gasped, as she rushed to where her childhood friend lay motionless.

Kimberly shook her, running her hands over her face and pinching at her skin.

"Move." Jason grabbed her hands to stop her.

"She's-."

"She'll be fine," Jason assured her, leaning down to drop his ear to the unconscious woman's lips'.

Kimberly widened her eyes. "Well?" she pressured him impatiently.

He straightened up. "She's breathing…they must have given her a bigger dose…"

Kimberly nodded with numbing relief. She grabbed her head between her hands, feeling strangely unhinged.

"Something feels strange…" she murmured, trying to hide her fear.

Jason stepped around her. "I feel like they pumped me full of iron," he admitted. "It doesn't make any sense to me."

Kimberly nodded. She glanced at the only door in the room, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. It was still slightly open- the corridor was just _there_.

"Jase…" she was whispering, almost incoherently. "They're out there."

The muscles in his neck flexed. "Let me go first. Whatever happens, fight for your life."

For the first time since the 'Men-in-Black' knocked on her door, Kimberly watched the following seconds in slow motion. Men, so many of them, flooded in. Their lips moved angrily, their bodies stood threatening, but Kimberly held her ground.

She screamed viciously and fought for her life.

* * *

_Dad…_

It overwhelmed him painfully.

He was close to losing it. Billy knew that had he been within arms reach, he would have seriously considered picking up the weapon that took his father's life and put an end to it all.

He couldn't remember the words that rushed out of his mouth at that horrible moment, nor if he even moved. His eyesight fractured- all the pain, all the heartache. He couldn't' focus on his father's dead body.

As his own body lay slumped against the front of his cell, he could feel himself crying as everyone else started screaming and shrieking. It was all so loud, so vicious- but he didn't hear it.

He just tried to focus on the dead body.

"Oh my- no! Leave her alone!"

Billy glanced over at the cell next door, glancing at Katherine through tears. This wasn't over.

"Leave her alone!" Billy suddenly fumed as he watched the uniformed men practically rip his oldest friends from their cages.

By the time they had Trini in their clutches, dragging her further away from him, he was wild. He slammed his palm against the constricting metal over and over.

This wasn't what he imagined would happen!

They weren't dying; they were being executed.

Billy rested his head against the bars, pressing away his anguish with his eyelids. God, he wished Kimberly and Jason would stop screaming in the distance.

"Shit!" Rocky spat. "They're gonna kill them!"

"Why are they doing this to us? Katherine cried through tears.

Billy moved his heavy head. He could feel the bile in his throat.

"Bring them back!" Tommy suddenly yelled.

"They can't just kill them," Aisha stated in a numb tone. "They can't-."

"They just shot Billy's dad," Rocky cut her off.

"I'm going to kill them," Tommy paced the cell, lost in his own delusions. "I don't care what happens to me."

"He might not be dead," Adam announced as he crouched to the ground. He stretched his arm through the gap in the bars, the tips of his fingers brushing the fallen man's hand.

The still limb jiggled awkwardly at Adam's prodding, but as though something had bitten him, the former black ranger quickly withdrew his hand. He slammed it against his chest, but was unable to hide the smudge of crimson on his fingertips.

It was everywhere. The dark floor had merely camouflaged it long enough for Billy to cling onto the slightest piece of hope. A human body could never sustain such a loss. Even if this had happened in the center of a hospital's emergency ward, Billy knew there wouldn't be a chance.

Katherine was sobbing from the far corner of her cell. Even in the midst of so much horror, she was trying to conceal it for him, but nothing in the world could bring to him so much sorrow as to know he had made a major mistake. Maybe Tommy was the only one brazen enough to tell it to his face; Billy couldn't take it anymore.

Another round of screaming started up again in the distance. Kimberly, and then Jason. Kimberly again. Misplaced banging and their sounds of desperation. A struggle.

He had no doubt in his mind that Kimberly, Jason and Trini were the second round of victims in Agent Johns' twisted game of existence.

* * *

Everything was blurry. 

Feet were bounding, arms flailing, heavy breathing almost too much for Jason to bare. He was running for his life in a literal living hell, and yet he couldn't even conjure up the ability to see where he was going.

They were lost.

Every door, every stale wall looked the same.

Shit, he had them lost now.

"Jason, my foot's killing me!"

He was angry that they had to stop, and let out a groan. It wasn't Kimberly's fault. He was being unreasonable and dissolving into a moment of pure madness, something he couldn't afford.

Not when Kimberly looked that pale.

"Let me have a look," he began with what tenderness he could find, leaning down.

She put a hand out to intercept his shoulder. "I just need to rest for a moment," she whispered. "I can't believe what just happened back there- I know I'm still as fit nowadays, but I haven't thrown a punching combination for years."

Jason leaned against the wall. "They must have injected us with the wrong stuff. I feel as powerful as I did when we used to morph."

Kimberly took a step and winced, before she glanced around. "Which way is out? I feel like we just ran up this corridor."

"I think we did," Jason admitted dully. "Instead of turning left at the end, we need to turn right."

Kimberly nodded, raising her sleek arm high enough so Jason could link his own underneath for support. They began awkwardly up the corridor, Kimberly inhaling with every step, despite Jason's effort to take as much of her weight as possible.

"Gees, you've really filled out Kimmy- Ow!"

"Don't test me now, Jason, I'm in the mood to kill."

He smiled slyly, and moved his free arm under her back, lifting her into his cradled arms. She yelped out a little in surprise, but began to laugh almost playfully.

"You've missed playing the hero, haven't you?" she teased.

He quickened his pace so he was jogging. "Don't test me, Kim, I will drop you and leave you here-."

_Oh God…_

"GET DOWN!" A masked man suddenly hollered from the mouth of the hall, raising his gun in their direction.

Jason clumsily dropped Kimberly, stepping in front of her. "You might be able to kill one of us, but by the time you pull that trigger, the other will kill you before you get the chance to blink," he delivered carefully.

The uniformed man seemed to grasp his gun tighter, his feet fidgeting as he appeared to ponder Jason's baseless threat. The original red ranger took the opportunity to help Kimberly to standing.

They were staring at the barrel of death, and as Jason thought about what little options he had, he knew that was a real possibility.

"Get down on the ground!"

"We'll do whatever you say, just please don't kill us," Kimberly pleaded.

She took a slow step forward, and Jason swiftly grabbed her hand, pulling on her to stay back.

"You have until the count of five to drop to the ground or I will shoot you both!" the officer delivered, his stance not at all wavering. "One…"

"Kim, get to the ground," Jason ordered her. "Now."

"Two…"

"He's going to kill us anyway," she whimpered painfully.

"Just get down on the ground, Kim-."

"Three…"

Jason could feel everything inside him tighten as he carefully bent his knees and tried with growing desperation to drag Kimberly down with him.

"Four…"

Kimberly let out a nervous whimper and dropped to her knees as the countdown paused and hung in the air above them. Jason lowered his head slightly and stared coldly at the well-armored man, as he carefully motioned with his arm for the former pink ranger to move behind him.

"Don't move," the officer warned, as he carefully marched toward them both, their limbs locked together in a cowering heap.

"I'm going to go for him," Jason whispered, trying his hardest not to move his lips. "This is our last chance-."

It was like a tackle in football, arms extended, shoulders bracing for the impact; his attempt to take the officer down by surprise was nothing short of blind fear. The collision sent Jason tumbling on top of the smaller man, but the second's success was instantly blasted away as a gunshot echoed around him.

Kimberly screamed. The officer merely groaned numbly, as Jason weakly attempted to knock the smoking gun from his limp hand.

"Kim!" Jason threw his wild eyes over his shoulder.

Kimberly stood against the corridor wall, her eyes wide in fear. "He just missed," she stammered, as she motioned quickly to the impact wedged only inches away from her head.

The officer began to struggle and Jason moved his right hand to the man's neck, clenching his fingers around it. He could feel his anger literally strangle the life from him.

"Get the gun," Jason ordered Kimberly, motioning toward the weapon with his chin. "I want you to go and run for help…I know your ankle's busted right now, but use the gun if you run into any more of these creeps…"

Kimberly crouched down and hesitantly picked up the oversized weapon. "Aren't you going to come with me?"

"No," he admitted with a sigh. "I'm going to take care of this guy, and I'll catch up with you…I don't want to waste another bullet here."

She nodded reluctantly and he sighed. "Go, Kim," he coaxed. "Go!"

It only took a few minutes to kill the uniformed officer beneath him. The man was nothing short of a murderer, belonging to an organisation that was dealing in senseless death, yet it didn't make the act any easier. Jason's entire stomach only bunched more, sickened by his own rage and suddenly afraid of where he was.

Alone.

He had promised Kimberly he'd follow after her, yet he knew he had no choice but to go back for the others. If he didn't get to them now, it was possibly the last chance they had to escape their planned executions. Jason carefully removed the bundle of keys hooked to the dead man's belt and gripped them tightly.

Fighting everything in his head, he raced back in the direction he came from. All the doors he passed blurred by one by one. Every wall looked the same. Nothing made sense.

"Guys!" he suddenly hollered out loudly. "Tommy! Billy!" he followed with heightened urgency.

He suddenly stopped, his knees buckling by the awkward motion. He could hear his friends' distinct replies in the near distance, and flung himself through the nearest door.

"Guys!" he announced with urgency as he focused on the emerging cells, Hank Cranston's bloody body still sprawled in the center of the corridor.

"What the hell happened?" Rocky gripped the bars of his cell. "We thought they were going to kill you-."

"They tried," Jason cut him off, as he moved the stolen keys to his lock. It clicked and flung open, before he moved to his former holding cell.

"We gotta get out of here, bro," Jason stammered as he moved the key into position.

"Where are Kimberly and Trini?" The white ranger asked, as Jason fumbled with the lock.

The gray walls were falling heavy in his sight. Maybe it was the adrenalin finally running low, but he couldn't steady his attention, nor his focus. All he could think of was 'RUN'! _RUN!_

"Jase, are you okay?" Tommy had his hands gripped on his shoulders. "You're bleeding."

Jason squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, praying the dizzy spell would fade away as he focused back on his former teammates.

His foot brushed the dead body on the ground. He didn't want to stare at it, and finally tore his eyes to glance at the blood smudged on his arm. The crimson liquid had drenched into the tiny lines of his skin giving an unnerving appearance.

"We need to get out of here," he croaked out. "We got lost…I don't remember where I left Trini, and I don't know where Kim is-."

"Guys- let's move," Rocky motioned almost exasperatedly as they all stood in a stunned state.

Mind ticking, thoughts pulsating.

"What about-."

"Let's just go," Billy decided suddenly, his voice distant from any emotion. "We need to find the others and get out of here before any more people suffer for this."

* * *

You never really know your kids. 

You expect them to rebel. You prepare for their disobedience and for the day they look at you with changed eyes and declare that you're no longer the light of their life. You're no longer the pillar. You have no control.

And, Caroline had prepared herself for it. She'd always believed in her heart that her only daughter was a true light in the world. There had been those times where Caroline had caught her slipping through the window at night, or leaving the house without an explanation, but that had been the extent of it.

No underage smoking, no binge drinking; no eating disorders or drug abuse.

Never did she even contemplate the possibility of sitting huddled in a police station interview room, trying to convince herself of everything that went against her better instincts. She was a good mother- her daughter was nothing short of a light in her life.

Not a murderer.

"Caroline?"

Caroline glanced up, not quite meeting his eyes. She swore she could feel his pity drip over her and she didn't want it. It made her feel nothing short of dirty. Even the slightest sensibility in the back of mind wasn't enough to make it go away.

"What is it?" she allowed him.

He shuffled a bit and his reluctance to speak was almost painful for her. She had assumed when she'd left to sit in the room alone that he'd respect her need to be away from him, but he had this way of grating on her.

A sigh. "Do you want to talk about this?" he finally asked.

Caroline scrunched the tissue in her palm, the moisture from it lost on her tear-streaked hands.

Another sigh, a step toward her-.

"Don't." She hooked her dark eyes on him. "I don't need you telling me again…next you'll be blaming me for this."

He almost sniggered. "Oh Christ," he murmured, rubbing his hands on his face. "I guess it was pretty foolish of me to believe I could have a decent conversation with you about the fact that _our_ daughter has killed someone-."

"She did not do it-."

"They have her on tape, Caroline!" he snapped, swiping his hand in a wide gesturing manner. "I thought you told me that Kimberly was doing well in Boston-."

"Manhattan," Caroline corrected bitingly. "You have no idea what own daughter has been doing, so don't pressure me just because I have cared enough to take an interest in her life."

The last words just hung in the air.

Caroline couldn't resist the urge to seek for his help. She was desperate and everything was so cruel- her own despondency would cause her to turn to the one person she despised to help the one person she loved most in the world.

"Did Kimberly ever mention anything about having trouble with the law?"

Phillip stood motionless. "She never said anything about this. Simon would have told me."

"I only ask because before this I really thought Kimberly told me everything…" she could feel the tremble creep into her voice, but couldn't hold it back. "What on Earth has she been doing all this time?"

The door behind them opened at that very question, in a moment that made Caroline want to spring from her chair and nail it close. She was in bloody denial and as much as talking with her ex-husband left a sour taste on her tongue, it was preferable over absorbing the almost arrogant aroma from the Officer in charge.

Phillip wasn't particularly overjoyed by his interruption, either. "My ex-wife and I are trying to discuss this…"

"I thought you would both like to know that we've receiving confirmed reports of several sightings of your daughter and Mr. Scott in the Angel Grove district. It will only be a matter of time before we bring them in."

Caroline lowered her head. "None of your people here can begin to tell me why Kimberly and Jason would be anywhere near that government building…our daughter hasn't been in Angel Grove for years and I certainly can't think of any reason why she would be in trouble with the government."

The officer's chin cocked a little, as though he couldn't manage to salvage any sympathy. "No one is going to be capable of answering those questions except for Kimberly and Jason. I'll let you know when we find them."

--

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

_**Teaser for Chapter 10 – Tears at Daylight:**_

They all had their guns directed at her; their voices spat at her- it was as though she was the enemy.

"Please! I need help!" she begged. "You need to go and help my friends!"


	10. Tears at Daylight

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter Ten – Tears at Daylight**

A/N – I'_m really sorry for not posting for so long…as always, my health really dictates my ability to do these things nowadays, but I'm hoping to post more promptly from now on…thanks for your continuing support!_

* * *

Her eyes were squeezed shut. Her breathing was painful, holding her breath until she could no longer bare and then she'd let it out. 

And breathe in again.

_God, just please let me get out of here..._

The anticipation was almost as bad as the throbbing in her foot. Kimberly felt like a helpless victim in a sniper video game, waiting for it. They had to know she was there- after all, her careless clambering was only drawing more and more attention to her the further she weaved her way through the labyrinth of the facility.

She didn't have a choice but to run, to make a racket. There was no doubt in her mind that the seedy government officials that lurked in the building were more than capable with weaponry. Tiptoeing around would only make their aim for her easier.

But, every door she passed seemed to be open, giving off that feeling of emptiness. The gun that Jason had practically shoveled in her hand before she'd left him was still sweltering in her clasp. She didn't want to use it, but she was almost certain she would have to at some point.

"Ow, shit!" Kimberly barely managed to get out, before her foot gave up and she literally tripped over herself.

She found herself on all fours, the gun from her hand scattering across the floor away from her as she suddenly realized she'd hit the end of the corridor.

_A window...Oh God! _

There was a light from its place in the solid door, but it wasn't artificial and Kimberly knew she'd stumbled across an exit.

Daylight.

Reaching out to run her hand up the nearby wall, she slowly stood up, her disbelieving eyes carefully scoping around. The shadows from where she'd traveled were all that stared back at her, no slight sounds or movements to show anything otherwise.

She hadn't thought this far through.

She took a deep breath.

"Jason?" she suddenly called out, her effort so much weaker than she'd wanted.

_Where is he? _she thought, her panic growing as she suddenly considered the possibility of escaping the literal prison without the others. Everything had been so crazy and surreal that they'd never had a chance to talk about a plan.

Jason had been just there. What if they'd found him?

_I can't wait here...I can't, he would want me to go for it...I have to try and get help. _

Kimberly carefully lent down and picked her stray weapon off the ground before she carefully pulled down the handle of the door. It clicked before she could worry about the possibility of it being locked, and pushed open slowly.

She let out a strange groan, her eyes slamming shut again as the daylight overwhelmed her. Reaching to shield their painful centers with her free hand, she cocked the gun before her and stepped out into it.

_Where are the guards? _

Her heart began to race like crazy as she continued to walk, trying to find any signs of a threat. She couldn't possibly just walk away from it, could she?

The air outside was probably more freezing than she could feel. The sky was so overcast, but the tiny pin-point of the lone sun was still basking above her in all its glory. The wilderness was all that greeted her; dirt in her toes and mist on her arms.

She was crying before she knew it, and picked up her pace, jogging ungracefully toward the fence that lined the perimeter. The interweaving barrier was as tall as the building it surrounded and although she knew she'd probably never make it over, she knew she couldn't stop now.

The gun dropped to the dirt below, as Kimberly grasped the wire with her tired fingers and began to climb.

* * *

Tommy paused, his hand resting on the door handle, as he glanced over his shoulder. Ensuring they were all as huddled as possible, he carefully lowered the handle as quietly as possible. 

It clicked. Just that movement alone sounded like a gunshot.

"Stay close," he whispered back at them, before he slid his body through the opening.

Another corridor. More gray walls. More concrete. More doors.

Not a person in sight.

He merely stared at the emptiness as he felt a body stumble slightly into his, and he glanced at her.

"There's no one here," he stated to Katherine rather obviously. "Not a body in sight."

"Where did they all go?" Adam wondered, as they all slowly began up the corridor. "Either this place is bigger than we thought, or we're walking up the same corridor over and over."

"Do you remember where you left Trini?" Tommy asked Jason, as he waited for his friend to catch up.

Jason's face seemed to squirm out of place and Tommy frowned.

"I don't know," Jason cleared his throat. "All these rooms look the same."

"She can't be too far, I mean, you managed to find your way back to us, right?" Katherine pointed out with a glimmer of hope.

Jason's face remained anchored at the ground. "There were men everywhere," he said lowly. "They were all over the place...we can't be in the right area."

"There's no other way to go," Tommy pointed out. "How many doors do you remember-."

"Guys!" Rocky suddenly let out, his voice causing them all to spin around in a knot of fluster.

The former red ranger seemed to curse under his breath, before he motioned to a nearby door with his head. "Take a look at this," he whispered.

Tommy shared a quick glance with them all, before he pushed through first, brushing past Rocky as he stepped into the dimly lit room.

_What...the...hell? What is this? _

Aisha let out a loud breath behind him in clear disbelief. "How did they get all these?" she asked.

"Billy," Tommy said, glancing over his shoulder quickly. He paused as he noticed how blood-shot Billy's eyes were, before he swallowed the saliva in his mouth and continued.

"What sort of computers are these?"

"They've clearly been monitoring us," Billy responded calmly. He stopped, and pointed to one of the walls, his hand gesturing over the countless images that covered every space of concrete like continuous wallpaper.

"Some of those photos date back to our second battle," he added. "Jason, any of these photos look familiar to you?"

"Yeah," Jason seemed to choke out, as he stepped up close to the wall. "This photo is from our battle against 'Bones'."

Tommy blinked and approached one of the walls, too many emotions and realities colliding all at once. The room was literally blanketed with years of his life- of all of their lives. The eight spaced out computer systems each seemed stuck on the same blurry footage, as hundreds of photos hung above them, like the ultimate montage to the group of teenage superheroes.

Someone had been watching them for a very, very long time.

"Guys," Aisha suddenly spoke up, as she waited for them all to look her way. She motioned to one of the photos, the image blurry, but clearly a shot of her outside her apartment. "They've been watching us up until recently. I only bought that suit two weeks ago..."

"Why would they be watching us like this?" Tommy wondered out loud, as he continued to skim the numerous images.

The others were talking behind him, but as he noticed each new photo, his hearing seemed to drain away and all he could concentrate on was what he was seeing.

They had been watching them all. The earlier photos were almost too hard to distinguish, contained to indistinct, distant shots of them all in the mist of battle. There was nothing too remarkable about them, nor anything that made them different from the photos that bombarded the pages of local, national and international headlines for so many years.

_Except that-. _

Tommy peered closely at the shot, taken through dense foliage. It was like an illusion- the illusion that was what morphing was all about.

No one could have ever determined that it was them, but Tommy couldn't believe that someone out there had got the shot - They had actually caught them morphing in plain view.

Then, there were so many photos of recent times. He could see countless images of him simply wondering the grounds of the Angel Grove University. There were photos of Rocky that looked like him having lunch at some sort of cafe; Adam jogging with Aisha in the park.

Billy driving his car. Zack eating takeout. Trini walking out of a drugstore and Katherine holding hands with her ex-boyfriend, Alex.

There were countless photos of Jason. Some of him before he returned to the States. A couple of him with Kimberly in what looked to be a busy street of some kind.

Images and images of Kimberly.

Their lives were all carefully depicted. But it wasn't just the creepiness it gave him, the knowledge that somehow he'd never sensed the eyes that had clearly been following him for over half a decade. They wanted to know something about them.

But what? What were these photos supposed to show anyone?

"...Tommy?"

"Uh-yeah," he quickly cleared his throat. "This is blowing my mind."

"I can't believe someone was watching that!" Rocky suddenly burst out, his face twisted in disbelief. "Rachel would have a fit!"

Katherine had stopped beside the former red ranger and seemed frozen herself. "They watched us having sex?" she wheezed out.

She spun around. "What is this supposed to show anyone?"

No one replied, and they all glanced up as the dull lights above began to flicker and the computer screens that offered the most amount of lighting dulled away.

Tommy swallowed and grabbed one of the monitors, banging on it with his hand in the hope to rouse it back to life. The screen rolled over several times and seemed to protest at his act of violence, until it finally leveled out.

He squinted at the footage. The room it depicted was more than familiar to Tommy's eyes, too many memories enough to ensure he could never forget the place, but somehow it only sent a kick to his groin.

They were watching the Command Center. No photos, no old newspaper clippings.

This footage was live.

* * *

Kimberly was slowing down. Her feet were still spinning in a crazed, desperate manner, but she'd fallen over almost five times in a matter of a few minutes, and she could barely move as a result, let alone run. 

She had started to grab onto passing trees and almost propel herself from them, trying to leverage her weight in an effort to push on. The harsh bark splintered into her palms at times; the dry grass felt almost razor sharp against the bare skin of her shins. There was the occasional sound of birds passing overhead, but the world seemed so far away as she became almost lost in her own delusions.

Was she running in circles? Which way was the road from the facility? Her drive in with Jason played over and over again in her head, but all she could remember was the darkness of that overcast morning. All she could bring to mind was driving through a seemingly never-ending bush land-.

She yelped, suddenly crashing to the ground. Her jaw slammed bluntly into the dry dirt and her entire head pounded as the impact caused her to bite sharply on her tongue.

She whimpered.

Tears were in her eyes, the moisture almost stinging their tired centers. Dragging each arm slowly beneath her torso, she hopelessly tried to leverage herself to her knees, but in a moment of weakness she gave up and dropped her head back to the unforgiving earth below.

_I can't do this…shit! _

Now she was angry. That was good. Maybe if she were angry, then it would encourage her to stand up and not give up. She was never a quitter…even when faced with so many difficult situations in her ranger days she still never gave up. She usually had help, but her spirit always clung onto the possibility that nothing was impossible.

Those days were long gone, though. She almost laughed bitterly as she realized since she'd left Angel Grove five years earlier, she'd left behind so many of the qualities that had made her worthy of being a ranger.

And as she continued to lie, limbs sprawled around her; she quickly realized that she _was_ a quitter nowadays. Her gymnastics career, relationships with men, realism…she had given up so many times, because she felt she could.

Because, she didn't have the weight of the world on her shoulders.

She released another sharp breath.

No, this time was different.

She had the responsibility of saving her friends, and no matter how tired she was, she couldn't give up. Just as she knew Tommy, Jason or any of them would push on for her, it was her turn to clear her head and focus.

_Just focus…_

Every inch of her body seemed to scream as she slowly plodded to a standing position. She initially rested her weight against the thick trunk of a pine tree, but as her eyes slowly focused on her path, she realized the ground was sloping upward.

Was that the sound of a car?

"Oh my God," she trembled hysterically, as she clumsily scurried up the short ascent.

As she reached the top, the ground below clearing into a desolate gully, she almost fell to her knees in happiness as she noticed the snaked, empty road in front of her.

The tears started again as she raced toward its edge, falling and rolling down the grassy hill, yet so determined that she didn't pause even a moment to catch her breath. As her tired feet felt the heat emitting from the tar below her, she finally lowered herself to her knees, though and allowed herself a moment to take it in.

"Oh my God!" she whispered.

The vehicle came into the clearing and was plodding toward her rather casually, until she suddenly leapt to her feet and flung her arms desperately above her.

"Please! Please help me!" she screamed.

The driver's face caved as soon as his eyes met hers, and his vehicle came to a grinding halt. Kimberly did her best to compose herself, but the moment he began to unwind his window, tears showered down her cheeks as her chin began to quiver.

"Miss…oh my goodness, what in the-."

"I-I need help."

She clumsily fell into the car, dropping her face into her hands until she felt a tentative hand on her back.

"Miss…what happened to you?"

Kimberly slowly raised her head, grabbing onto the dashboard for support.

"My friends need help," she sobbed, swallowing the saliva that choked her as she tried to speak. "Please take me to the police station."

The middle-aged man looked awfully frightened, but swiftly started the ignition and sent the car into movement without a moment's hesitation. The seemingly tranquil scenery that engulphed them was soon racing past their windows at a dazzling speed, and Kimberly knew that everything would be all right.

Everyone would be fine now. They were still a good distance from even the outskirts of her hometown, but she had no doubt now that she could make it to safety.

After a few minutes had passed, and Kimberly had finished using her dirtied gown to nervously wipe some of the dirt from her face, she finally found the courage to speak to the man beside her.

"Is there uh, a faster way to the police station?" she asked, blinking as each spoken word felt like fire against her ravaged throat.

"I'm from New Jersey," he replied. "I don't know Angel Grove very well…but we can stop at a gas station-."

"No," she breathed. "No. I can't risk it…they might be listening-."

The car suddenly twisted awkwardly on the straight stretch of road and Kimberly instantly felt the hairs on her neck stick up.

"Sorry," the driver apologized, as he shakingly pulled the car to a stop. "They came out of nowhere."

Kimberly quickly fumbled her hands to the passenger door and heaved it open, practically throwing herself out onto her feet. She couldn't manage to run; her injured ankle refusing her own desperation, but her voice came to her immediately.

"Please help me! My friends are back there!"

"GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES AND PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!"

Kimberly was already on all fours and merely stared speechless as almost fifteen uniformed officers filled out of the roadblock of four squad cars. They all had their guns directed at her; their voices spat at her- it was as though she was the enemy.

"Please! I need help!" she begged. "You need to go and help my friends!"

Three of them finally broke their intimidating stance and started for her, sweeping her uncaringly under the arms and dragging her toward the squad cars.

"What's going on?" as asked desperately, her eyes flying around the scene as though searching for some kind of answer.

"You are under arrest for the murder of two US government officers," one of them practically barked at her. "Anything you do or say may be used against you in the court of law…"

* * *

Everyone was talking at once. 

Well, it had started by a few random comments of disbelief, followed by small gestures that had grown into much more pronounced expressions of almost madness. Now it was all becoming too much, and Jason was becoming too pissed off to bother with it all.

They were all royally dead. The IBI had the Command Center and Jason didn't even want to think about where that left them now. They had no cards to deal, nothing of value left to bargain for their lives.

Only God knew what had become of Zordon. Through the snowy, black-and-white footage on the screens, it was too hard to distinguish, but Jason had a sickening idea that their former mentor's tube of life was desolate and empty.

He squirmed, squinting his eyes sharply as he felt a wave of light headiness wash over him and felt compelled to finally tell his teammates to shut the hell up.

"Guys!" he half grunted, throwing the group an almost dark stare. "Just quit it, okay? This crap is not doing anything!"

Rocky was in the middle of a lengthy rant and stopped mid sentence, his eyes giving away the fear that had suddenly taken over.

"Jason-."

Jason inhaled a long, shaky breath, as he gently pushed Tommy's outreached hand away. "We have to get Trini and Kimberly and get the hell out of here- I don't give a shit what we see here, if we don't get out of here while we have the chance, then we're all dead and no one will ever find us."

"What about Zordon?" Adam asked. "We can't just leave him, knowing everything that we know now."

Billy's gaze moved from the monitor and acknowledged them all as he replied "We need to find an exit- we might be able to find a jeep or we might have to escape on foot- my understanding of this area, is that it's become increasingly overgrown by dense foliage over the years, but to the east lies the Nerandra hills- and the Command Center."

"So let's go, then- Zordon might need us," Tommy stated with force.

"Zordon's probably dead," Jason spoke up without thought.

He blinked, his tongue catching his teeth as he added. "We're not going to do ourselves any favors by getting out of here and handing ourselves back to the IBI- I doubt it that these scumbags don't have the Command Center under complete guard."

Katherine rested against the bench behind her, her soft eyes drenched with sadness. "We can't let them just do this to Zordon and Alpha," she said. "There must be something we can do."

"Yeah, we need a shit load of ammunition and back-up," Rocky stated almost dryly. "Even if we have to tell the country what the government wastes their tax money on- that should get a few farmers with pitch forks and disgruntled workers hunting the Command Center down for us..."

Jason shook his head seriously. "We can't tell anyone about this- if these guys are the government then who knows how far it goes? But for now, let's just find Kim and Trini and get somewhere safe so we can get some sort of plan together."

Tommy nodded. "Maybe we should split up then? I know that numbers are our strength, but it may allow us to find the others quicker." He looked at Billy. "Jason mentioned before that they had them locked up in some sort of infirmary- maybe you and Adam should take a look around and see if you find where Trini is?"

Billy and Adam nodded. "I'll take a look around for any supplies I can find," the former black ranger said.

"And grab any weapons you come across," Jason suggested. "We need anything we can get our hands on."

The two men nodded, before they headed out, leaving the other five in a momentary silence.

Aisha sighed. "What door do we even start with?" she asked wearily.

Jason was about to respond, when his eyes caught a strange reflection in one of the monitors. He spun around and noticed another door off the smallish room, and for a moment felt a sense of dejavu. The room looked very much like the one he'd originally been escorted to when he had first arrived- down to the damaged door.

"What is it?" Tommy asked him wearily, as Jason slowly moved toward the door.

He could see it was slightly ajar, its heavy frame leaning slightly from its top broken hinge. Dim light crept out from between then gap, and as Jason's hand pressed against the cold surface of the door, a foul scent flared inside his nostrils.

The door opened with a clichéd creak and he didn't have to take another step, before the horrors of what laid before him hit him hard.

Jason grabbed onto the doorframe for support, his eyes disbelieving in what he was seeing...

--

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**_Teaser for Chapter 11 "In the Closet":_**

His eyes widened, but remained focused. "She blinked…her eyes-she-."

And without any warning, a hand shot from beneath the sheet and clamped around Tommy's neck.


	11. In The Closet

**EXISTENCE **

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter Eleven – In the Closet**

_A/N- Okay, so this weird story gets a whole lot weirder here on in...for anyone who is still reading, thanks – let me know what you think!_

**

* * *

**

"What is this place?"

Katherine blinked, her blue gaze widening while she felt her insides buckle. The shock wasn't so much the devastation that lay sprawled in front of them, but the horrible realization that was as choking as the smell.

Is seeing really believing?

Then how could Katherine muster the words to reply to Aisha's question, or to answer the hundreds that thundered in her skull all at once?

Because she didn't believe; she couldn't believe it.

She inhaled sharply as her foot stopped at the first one.

"Anyone feel like we've stepped into a really bad movie?" Rocky asked numbly.

Katherine shared a glance with him, before they all watched in silence as Tommy knelt at the ground before them. He reached a tentative hand to its sprawled hair and as he swept it away to expose her face, he looked up with glistening eyes.

_Kimberly-. _

"That's not Kim," Jason's throaty voice announced. He motioned to that ground at his feet.

"Oh my goodness," Katherine gasped, raising her hands to her mouth.

_There's two of them- but that's impossible!_

"Jesus…How could this be?" Tommy asked in disbelief.

Jason glanced down. "It's a clone…they're all clones!"

Katherine rested a shaking hand on Tommy's forearm as they slowly began forward, slain bodies littering the pathway between two rows of steel beds. Limbs were sprawled; their bodies didn't look right, but every face was hauntingly recognizable.

Kimberly. Jason. Trini. Jason. Zack. Kimberly.

It went on and on. There were maybe twelve of them.

Katherine stopped and knelt down, running her fingertips over the near-naked body of her predecessor. Her skin was cold, but she could feel it. It was real.

They were real clones. No illusions, no magic clouds.

Katherine was certain that on future reflection they would look back the discovery and realize it was on par with the bizarre experiences they'd been through together as teenagers. Hell, Katherine still couldn't escape the memories of her experience as a secret spy for the alien empire. Yet despite all the spells, the battles in giant robots and teleportation into space, this was different.

This evil was human.

"Kat?"

"Why are they all dead?" she wondered out loud.

She glanced up at Rocky and noticed his extended hand, but she felt as though she couldn't move.

Tommy turned to face them all. "Why would they make these clones, and then shoot them all dead?"

"I wanna know how they created them in the first place," Rocky stated. "How in the hell did they make human copies of our friends, and why?"

Katherine slowly stood up, gently brushing her thighs as she did so. "Billy was right – they were doing an experiment on the power rangers, only not in a way we could have imagined."

She glanced down at her hand and noticed the smudge of fresh blood. She raised it for all her teammates to see.

"They were killed just recently," she noted almost sadly.

Aisha mirrored her expression, but slowly turned to Jason who was standing away from them. "Are you okay?" she asked him with clear concern.

He pursed his lips and nodded desolately.

"Guys, look," Tommy suddenly voiced, causing them all to turn around.

Katherine frowned as he walked beside the bed on the very end where a mass seemed hidden beneath a cloth. The outline was distinctly female, and all Katherine could think about was that nothing good was ever kept under a sheet in a morgue.

"Tommy…" she cautioned gently as he slowly pulled the sheet away, exposing another body beneath it.

On noticing the clone's body was naked, Tommy immediately shoveled the blanket back over her torso, but stopped suddenly.

"What is it?" Katherine asked.

His eyes widened, but remained focused. "She blinked…her eyes-she-."

And without any warning, a hand shot from beneath the sheet and clamped around Tommy's neck.

**

* * *

**

**_Angel Grove Police Station_**

Kimberly blinked. She felt the stray tears escape, and she swiftly brushed them away as the door opened once more. God, why wouldn't somebody tell her what the hell was going on?

She wrapped her arms over her chest and her chin began out of control as she noticed her new visitor.

"Kim-."

"Please," she whimpered helplessly, her hands clawing at the table. "I don't understand…"

"I don't want you to say another word." Simon Conroy sat opposite her, dropping his leather briefcase loudly on the table separating them.

He flicked the lid open, and began sifting through pages. The way he was ignoring her obvious distress only maddened her, and she unthoughtfully kicked the leg of the table.

"You're supposed to be helping me!" she snapped, glaring at him.

He looked up her with distant eyes. "Kimberly, I don't know where to start."

"You can start by telling me why the police-." She inhaled, before releasing a shaky breath. "Why my parents think I shot someone."

"They have concrete evidence of your direct participation," he sighed. He folded his arms on top of the table, his eyes full of regret. "Kimberly, tell me you had a reason to be shooting these men down."

Kimberly cleared her throat. She wanted to heave, to throw herself to her knees and slam her fists against the ground, but she stopped herself.

"I didn't shoot anyone…I tried to tell them, some government group- freaks- kidnapped me and my friends…" her pitch rose, emotions taking over. "My friends are still locked up and we need to get a police car to go and help them."

Her attorney remained quiet, torn between loyalties toward her, but at the same time clearly not believing a word she spoke.

She released a sharp breath. "You have to help me," the words barely sounded from her lips.

"You will be charged with murder, Kimberly, do you understand what-."

"I don't believe this!" she exclaimed, standing up. She grabbed the table quickly, her head spinning at the sudden movement.

Then, it started again. She began to cry, and the world around her became a blurry, washed out mess.

_What the hell is happening, why are they saying all these things? I never killed anyone!_

"They have video footage of your friend, as well," Mr. Conroy continued softly. "I've known you since you were a kid, Kim- your parents are out there with not a hope in this world of seeing you again. This isn't just murder; the gunning down of respected government officials will be harshly penalized by any court."

Kimberly didn't really listen. She was starting to lose the plot.

Then she focused. His words replayed in her head as she slowly straightened her tired body.

_They have footage of me…of Jason?_

"Kimberly…I can't even begin to help you, if you don't tell me what happened today…why you flew five hours in the early hours of the morning with Jason Scott, only to wind up in the middle of nowhere, trying to break into a government facility."

She blinked. "W-what did you say?"

He looked down at the papers in his hand. "It says here you were both caught attempting to jump the perimeter fence of the IBI headquarters, north-east of Angel Grove."

_How did they know?_

Kimberly stared at the table. This was all wrong- she had climbed over that fence, but she was on her own and there was the other major difference:

She had been trying to escape.

He pushed a glass of water toward her. "This seems to sound familiar to you," he guessed, as though reading her thoughts.

Kimberly ignored the glass. "I was trying to get out of there," she elaborated. "I was trying to escape…like I told you, like I told those detectives. I was running for my life."

His eyes were now bleeding with pity, but he played along. "Okay. Let's say that was true, and you were in fact trying to flee the high-security facility…why were you there in the first place?"

And there it was; the big question. The answer to that question Kimberly had promised to take to her grave, but in a matter of insanity- in utter desperation- she breathed its tangled web without a moment's consideration.

"I'm a power ranger." She looked up. "My friends are all power rangers."

**

* * *

**

"Tommy!"

The grip was tight, familiar fingers digging into the grooves of his neck, but he'd fended off stronger in the past. Despite the rush to his aid and the feeble attempt to pry her away, all he could think of was the fact that it was Kimberly.

She was alive!

"Tommy, move your hands!" Rocky ordered, as he shoveled his arms into the mix of limbs and pulled the human clamps from Tommy's neck.

Tommy instantly began to cough, choking on his own surprise. He hunched over and tried to stall the feeling in his head, but silently trying to stall looking in her direction.

"Will you cover her with something?" Aisha demanded, tossing the sheet at the former red ranger.

Tommy looked up, staring at the shivering and messed up image of Kimberly Hart. Her eyes were almost black, rolling around in their sockets while she whispered soundless words.

"Jesus Christ," Jason practically spat, rushing over and dropping before the mystery copy of Kimberly. "What is this place?" he asked her, placing two hands on her bare shoulders.

Her eyes suddenly stopped moving around. "They will kill us," she whispered.

Tommy's face softened, and the fear in her eyes automatically made him want to console her. She wasn't 'their' Kimberly, but beneath the long mess of dark hair and malnourished limbs, he felt ripped back five years earlier to a time where he couldn't bare to just let her cry.

"Do you know who you are?" Katherine asked the clone gently.

She didn't reply.

"Do you recognize us?" Jason asked.

"You don't have any identification," she murmured, raising her arm to expose what looked to be a marker.

_V371256..._

Jason glanced up at Tommy. "They've tagged them," he pointed out.

Tommy nodded, finding the courage to finally speak. "How many of you exist?" he asked her gently. "And why are they trying to kill you?"

"I am a version three prototype, a physical replica but developed mentally independent from the primary subject," she recited. "I only know of ten versions after mine...but they keep us all apart, so I do not know a number."

She centered her gaze on Tommy. "Do you know why they make us?" she asked.

The five former rangers all exchanged a quick glance.

Tommy sighed.

"We're not like you," he admitted carefully. "We uh, we're not clones."

She narrowed her eyes to the point where there was barely any white showing. "What are you then?"

Katherine kneeled down. "We are humans, but we used to be power rangers...it's been five years since then and we were all brought to this facility days ago and told we were dying. But it seemed they've been doing experiments-."

"You can't be the originals, it's not possible," the clone cut her off. "I don't know what version you are, but none of us have been on the outside long enough to live it."

Tommy frowned. "We're not any version, we've not clones. We didn't even know this was going on."

Her eyes dropped, her head rolling awkwardly against the wall.

"Kim-." Tommy stopped her name halfway.

Jason gently touched her arm, his tap enough to stir her from her listlessness.

"They will kill us," she murmured barely incoherently.

"No one will kill you now," Jason assured her. "The men are all gone- you're safe now."

"They must have gone after the others. And when they find them, they will kill them and come back for us."

"Who are the others?" Aisha asked.

"The breakout caused this," the clone stated. "Some of the others got through the door and escaped. The last time that happened, they shot her before she reached the exit. The ones that escaped today broke through the perimeter and fearing we would follow, they executed us."

_Clones escaped...of us?_

"Where would they be running to?" Tommy questioned.

"They're the ones before me," she revealed. "They want revenge."

**

* * *

**

Adam released a breath, as his hand remained pressed against the door.

"Billy! She's in here!" he rushed out, as he hurried over to the furthest bed of three that lined badly damaged room.

He instantly lowered his ear to Trini's mouth, feeling her weak breath tickle the side of his cheek. He ran his hand over her face, throwing a glance over his shoulder as he felt Billy rush up behind him.

"Is she alive?" Billy asked.

Adam nodded, suddenly realizing for the first time since he'd met the studious former ranger that he wasn't the one with all the answers. Years later and so many different experiences, the tables had turned and Adam knew he didn't have a choice but step up and take control.

"We have to determine what she was administered," Adam thought out loud, as he glanced around the room.

He was looking for a needle. Maybe on the ground near the make-shift infirmary bed...maybe on one of the benches nearby. But everywhere he looked, there was nothing but medical supplies strewn around the floor. Jason and Kimberly had clearly put up quite a struggle, but in the process their escape would only make Adam's efforts to stabilize Trini so much more difficult.

Adam carefully stepped over a pile of unused needles, as he reached for a cupboard on the bench. He pulled sharply on the reluctant hinges, until it swung open. It's empty interior stared back at him and Adam sighed, before he practically slammed it closed and moved to the next one.

Then the next one and the next.

"Nothing," he announced as he dully closed the last cupboard door and turned to face his friend. "Something tells me they never really used this room as an infirmary. Look at these...these are all dangerous components of deadly cocktails."

Billy remained motionless above Trini's body, his hands resting helplessly on her shoulders.

Adam swallowed his hesitation. "Billy, I know this is hard, but we can't just stand here and no nothing. Trini will be okay, but we need to get her help."

"I know," Billy said evenly. "But I look at her and all I can see is my father...he knew about all of this and he paid the price. Now, so are we-."

Adam shook his head forcibly. "Your dad was an honorable man- you saw and heard what I did. He didn't betray you, Billy."

He glanced away and slowly walked over to where the original yellow ranger was barely clinging to life. Adam slowly moved the blanket higher on her body, but he knew we was failing this battle.

It was his job for God's sake! He'd resurrected countless victims, saved lives and healed, yet he couldn't stop Trini's developing shock. He was trying his best to remain calm, but it was becoming unbearable. Being a ranger and a paramedic didn't make the notion of death any easier.

"Did you hear that?" Billy suddenly spoke up, his face suddenly alert.

Adam squinted his eyes, surprised at how frazzled he'd allowed his nerves and senses to become. He shook his head. "What did you hear?"

Billy pursed his lips. "I'm not certain...I'm sure it was nothing."

A dull noise suddenly dropped from behind them a second time, and Adam instantly swung around, dropping automatically into a defensive stance, as he carefully glanced around. His eyes narrowed in on a tall closet in the furthest corner, and he slowly stalked toward it, his fists clenched and ready to strike.

"Adam!" Billy hissed and the paramedic quickly looked over his shoulder in time to catch what appeared to be a broken rod of steel.

"Thanks," Adam allowed, before he raised the rod in front of him, and reached for the closet's handle.

_I swear that better be a mop that fell over in there, _Adam thought to himself, before he quickly swung the door open, hoping his sudden movement would take whatever was inside off guard.

He swung the rod down without thinking, but swiftly dropped it as a disc of blinking lights wheezed up at him in the sickliest of manners.

"Ra-a-ang-eeerr-ss..."

"Alpha!"

--

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**_Teaser for Chapter 12 "Shock Horror"_:**

"You killed him!" she screamed.

His eyes finally met hers, but his lips remained motionless. Something was wrong; something was very wrong.


	12. Shock Horror

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter Twelve – Shock Horror**

**

* * *

**

From one cell to another, fear gripped her with a strength she was struggling to hold back. How Kimberly hated the darkness that seemed to condemn her; even the shadows and dim lights couldn't hide the horrid reality.

For now she was all alone.

Conversations replayed through stuttering of tears. Hatred refused to let her go no matter how hard she reasoned that she could make the situation better.

After all, how could they lock away a power ranger? She was a god-damned hero after all- her statue stood proudly in two US cities. She was a good guy!

But the secret life that haunted her for longer than her friends realized, had turned around and bit her hard.

Her attorney Simon Conroy just continued with the pitiful eyes during the interview, diverting her with statements that made no sense. She'd expected a change of reaction when she'd breathed the words she'd buried since she was fifteen- but the family friend merely stared at her and sighed:

"_I can't help you this way," _he had said regretfully and promptly packed his files away.

Fear and frustration had then taken the better of her and she told her secret to the head detective through tears of guilt and betrayal to Zordon. She could tell her announcement shocked the senior officer, but like everything that had gone completely amiss that day, it was as though it only buried her more.

They questioned her sanity- they wanted proof of her claim. Kimberly merely pleaded with them to go to the facility and they would find the others, but response after response knocked her back.

They had been there and found nothing.

They prodded her with demands for her to display her superhuman powers and morph right in front of them, but she sobbed in her defense that she had nothing but the gown she was wearing and the words from her mouth.

Now, as she sat with reflection in her lone cell toward the back of the Angel Grove Police department, Kimberly began to even question her own sanity. She'd always imagined the breathtaking response from citizens if somehow their ranger identities had been exposed. Daydreamed about parades and interviews and receiving the kind of recognition that none of them had ever been able to accept.

But the heroes were all fallen now. Kimberly had done everything in her power to redeem herself and she betrayed her life's promise for nothing. And what would eventuate of her friends? She shuddered; death plagued her as it always did her dreams…

She sighed, and wearily rubbed her eyes with her dirty palms. The smell of sweat and sickness seemed to be expelling from her skin. She felt like an animal; a disgrace. The worst thing was she was too crestfallen to even bother to gather herself together again.

Giving up was her only choice. What could she do from a holding cell in jail?

It had been eerily quiet in the multi-story building, but now that day was falling and the lights in the hallway along her cell lit up like a kaleidoscope, Kimberly was finally starting to realize her true predicament. It sunk in.

_What am I going to do?_

She glanced out at the lone guard stationed at a desk opposite her cell and reluctantly laid down on the bed.

A loud noise suddenly pulsated into her cell from the darkness and she flinched in response, hopelessly crawling onto her knees on top of the uncomfortable bed. The silence returned almost immediately, but it was quickly re-shattered as another similar noise could be heard in the approaching distance.

Kimberly watched with building anxiousness, as the guard seemed to leap up from his chair and race down the hallway. She grabbed hold of the thick bars keeping her back, and watched as his thickly laden body suddenly catapulted back out of the shadows, running toward the small collection of cells.

He was screaming, but nothing made sense.

"What's going on?" Kimberly gasped as the man awkwardly tripped on himself and went crashing to the tiles floor below.

He immediately flipped over to his back and stared in trepidation as his hand fumbled wildly at his empty hip holster.

Kimberly followed his shuddering gaze and quickly stepped back as she watched a familiar face step out from the shadows.

"Jason…" she breathed. "Jason, what are you doing?" she asked.

His disturbing eyes remained on the trembling guard and he slowly moved his hand, revealing a handgun that was hanging precariously from his fingers.

"Oh my God…" Kimberly grabbed hold of the bars again, unable to contain her horror. "What are you doing?" she raised a hand to her mouth, the realization hitting her. "Oh my God, what did you do? Why do you have a gun-."

She screamed, or at least she thought she did as she watched him pull the trigger. The noise literally shattered in her skull, forcing her back until she looked through blurry eyes, as the police guard lay sprawled on the ground.

"You killed him!" she screamed.

His eyes finally met hers, but his lips remained motionless. Something was wrong; something was very wrong.

_Oh my Gosh…it can't be, how can it be?_

A shorter figure stepped up beside Jason and stared back at Kimberly expressionless, neither of them appearing unnerved by the situation.

**

* * *

**

Back in the labyrinth of the IBI facility, Jason simply stared at the copy of a girl he'd sat next to in grade six English and fought beside as they grew up under the spotlight of world protection. He could have told anyone that it wasn't the real Kimberly, knowing all to well the tone of her voice was nothing like the formally exuberant gymnast, but still he wanted to say so much to her.

He felt deathly alone. Billy wasn't there to share the moment with him; Trini was fighting for life and Zack...

Just being surrounded by the bodies his childhood friends was enough to make him lose his robust exterior. As it was, his balance was still off and his stomach crawled.

All he could think of was what Zordon would think if he saw the sight of his original ranger team dead at their feet. But then again, who knew where the sage was and what was his fate...

Around him, the others were still talking to her. She was like ice, cold and mentally broken, still flicking between responses of clarity and random whimpering.

"I wanted to run, but I don't want to leave anymore...there's no life for us out there, not once we're caught in here," she said, her sentiment catching Jason's attention. "You can't run. They will find you."

Jason felt it was wrong, but he reached out and rested a hand on the girl's shoulder, which was about all the comfort he could offer her at such a strange time. "You said the clones that escaped were after revenge...where are they going to get their revenge?" he asked her gently.

Her head dropped sharply to her shoulder, her eyes fluttering uncontrollably, before Tommy crouched beside Jason and quickly steadied her chin with his hand.

"What's wrong with you?" Tommy asked her loudly. "One of our friends died supposedly from his powers...do you know anything about that?"

Kimberly's clone seemed to relax a little, the corner of her dry lips curling into and almost smug smile. She let out a strange snigger, which fell short as she replied curtly, "There is no power...there never has been...that was the whole idea of the project- to replicate the original prototypes...but they've never been successful- why else do you think they keep trying?"

Jason's eyes' narrowed. "Are you saying they were making these clones to try and make their own rangers?" he asked.

"I don't know the answer to your question," she breathed, as she moved her hand to her bare shoulder and attempted to scratch at it.

Tommy swiped at her hand almost angrily, taking Jason off guard. He snapped his head in his direction, biting down on his tongue until he noticed the pain in his eyes.

"You're the only one here," Tommy said to the clone, speaking each word in a slow, drawn out manner. "You're the only one who can help us. I know you don't understand us and I promise we will get you to safety, but you need to think real hard about what the hell has gone on in this prison- anything."

She turned her head again to look away and Tommy swiftly moved to grab her shoulders, dragging her frail body up as he forcibly held her against the wall. Jason quickly moved to intervene, but Tommy automatically flicked his hands away before he had the chance, clearly angry with himself for acting out.

Katherine flicked a narrowed gaze at her former leader, before she carefully lowered the clone back her seated position, her legs too weak to allow her the chance to remain standing.

"I'm sorry," Tommy mumbled under his breath.

"It's not her fault," Katherine whispered, as though talking to herself. "If we start threatening these poor people with violence, we're no better than the people who created them."

Despite his own disapprovement at Tommy's outburst, Jason patted his friend's shoulder in support. "It's clear she doesn't know much about anything that happens outside this room- Rocky, help me get her up and we'll start looking for Billy and Adam...maybe they've managed to find Trini?"

Rocky didn't argue, instead nodding obediently, as he crouched in front of Kimberly's clone. The girl swiped out at his attempt to each under her arms, and he looked at Jason impatiently.

"Maybe Tommy's way will get it done faster?" he commented sarcastically.

Jason shared a private glance, before he made an attempt himself, only to be swiped at, as the clone began to breath loudly, an almost snarl sounding from her clenched teeth.

"Leave me alone!" she growled, her legs trembling in a nervous tic. "Leave me alone!"

"We want to help you!" Katherine tried to persuade her. "We're the only people who will care for you-."

"Get away from me!" the clone hissed. "Get away! Get away! Get away!" she chanted, her eyes squeezed shut, as if lost in her own delusion.

Jason slowly stood up, pulling on Rocky's jacket as he looked at Tommy. He felt terrible for saying it, but he knew inside they had no time to argue with her- she was clearly mentally fractured and was nothing short of a break in their chain that they didn't need.

"Let's just go," Jason said quietly, his eyes looking at the floor.

Aisha shot him an accusing look. "We can't just leave her here."

"Jason's right, Aisha," Rocky swiftly added forcibly. "Do you really think we should all wait here to die because of her? She's a damn clone and she doesn't have people waiting for her in the outside world- we do."

Katherine shook her head, her arms crossed over her chest. "She's an innocent victim in this-."

"And we will come back for her," Jason promised the blond, his eyes softening to add to the sincerity behind his words. "Let's get out of here and stop these people- who knows, there may be more clones in this building who are waiting for us to free them."

Katherine sighed, before the five former rangers slowly walked back out of the room of death. Jason allowed Tommy to lead them this time, sensing his friend was struggling to feel he was coping with the events that were unraveling- his biggest falling had always been his emotions, but Jason also knew that Zordon chose Tommy to be their leader because his falling was also his greatest asset- perhaps if they allowed Tommy the chance now to lead them all, he would step up to the challenge and recapture that steadfast way he's always displayed.

God knows, they needed him to lead now, more than ever. Jason needed him; he was trying so hard to ignore the burning that had settled in his gut, but the truth was that Jason knew something was wrong with him. He didn't want to plant any more seeds of fears in his friends' minds', but at least if Tommy took charge, Jason could try and blend into the background where they wouldn't notice his deteriorating state.

Tommy stopped as they reached yet another door, and he pointed to a piece of blue fabric that was tied loosely around the handle.

"Looks like Billy left us a cookie trail to follow," Tommy shared, his eyes warming for the first time in hours.

_Good work, Billy_, Jason thought to himself with gratefulness, as they all walked in a single file, carefully scouring every newly entered room for signs of more navy, polyester fabric guiders.

"Guys!"

The five friends stopped, almost colliding into each other as they heard Adam's faint voice in the distance.

"Adam, we're coming!" Katherine called back, surprising Jason with the strength of her reply.

They all broke into a sprint, pushing through two more marked doors, until they arrived in a room more than familiar to Jason. So many things caught his attention- Trini's lifeless body still draped on one of the so-called 'death beds'- Adam and Billy in the corner...

"Alpha!" Tommy gasped out, as they all ran over to where Adam and Billy were hovered around their former robot assistant.

Jason looked at the robot up and down, quickly realizing that Alpha 5 wasn't the same robot they had all grown to respect and love. The metallic of his limbs was dulled- the shell of his body dinted and plagued by countless holes. The lights that used to blink with his every display of emotion were gone and Jason had a sickening feeling that the wires that were sprouting from his narrow neck were damaged beyond repair.

"What happened to him?" Aisha asked, her mouth open in disbelief.

Billy glanced up, his hand clasped around what looked to be a computer disk of some kind. "Adam found Alpha in the closet...from what I can tell so far, his entire circuit board has been damaged beyond restoration..."

_Shit, I knew it._

"Was he able to say anything at all? Anything about Zordon?" Tommy asked hopefully.

Adam's lips' stiffened. "We tried talking to him, but all he managed to say was "rangers" before he switched off...Billy's been trying to reboot his internal system, but we haven't had any luck."

"How did he get here?" Katherine asked, as Jason turned away and slowly walked toward Trini. "Why would they store him in a broom closet in such a highly technologically advanced facility?"

"I doubt they stored him here," Billy responded confidently. "He seemed to be hiding- Perhaps he was trying to escape from wherever they were holding him."

"What's happening with Trini?" Jason spoke up loudly, using enough force in his voice, so that they all turned to look at him. "Surely there are supplies in here that can help her."

Adam seemed to roll his shoulders a little. "I can't give her anything when I don't know what they gave her in the first place- and I can't begin to understand her deteriorating condition when both you, and Kimberly by your account, were not affected by the drug in the same way."

Jason squeezed Trini's limp hand. "I don't know what happened," he admitted. "They said they were going to kill us- but I didn't feel sick afterwards. I felt stronger. Kimberly said she felt the same way."

"And how would you describe your well being now?" Adam asked, as though Jason were a patient of his.

Jason courageously held onto his blank look. "I feel fine as can be," he lied.

Tommy arrowed her gaze in on him. "Don't bullshit us, Jason- I can see you're in pain-."

"Yeah, well I'm not the biggest consideration right now," Jason brushed him off. "Remember Zack? He's dead. See Trini here- she's about to die, and only God knows where Kimberly is-."

"Just sit down and take it easy," Adam walked up beside Jason, motioning to him to lower himself on the bed he'd been tied to only hours earlier. "You're not going to make it out of here either if you don't take your condition seriously."

Aisha stepped forward. "Have you been able to work out why only Jason and Kimberly have been glowing since we arrived here?" she asked, her glance shared between Billy and Adam.

Adam shrugged. "Perhaps they gave you some kind of drug, maybe masked in a glass of water, that somehow affected the power structure still etched in your bodies...it's quite plausible, considering how much they clearly know about us and Zordon."

Jason shook his head. "Both Kim and I were glowing before they had the opportunity to pull anything on us- and besides, it makes no sense that we are affected, when we have both passed our powers onto other people."

A sound from Billy's direction broke the conversation, and Jason watched as his childhood friend seemed to throw the disk in his hand to the floor in defeat and grab his face in his tense hands.

"Billy, what is it?" Katherine asked with sad eyes, as she moved to touch him tenderly on the shoulder.

Billy rubbed at his eyes, a smudge of tears smearing over his cheeks.

"Billy- it's okay," Tommy offered him with genuine care. "Just take your time."

"Time ran out for Alpha long before we found him here," Billy replied glumly. "He's gone. I can't fix him...they've pulled at him and experimented on him beyond repair and we all know what that means..."

_Zordon's gone too..._

Jason looked away as he felt his insides twist again, his thoughts drifting immediately to Kimberly. He just had to hope that she was okay.

**

* * *

**

Kimberly was a good driver. She had never been particularly careful, but didn't deliberately go out of her way to break the nation's road laws.

Now, she didn't even want to think about how many rules she was breaking, or just how much she was risking her life and every car she passed. She'd hit at least half a dozen road signs, and even over the loud humming of the stolen car's engine, she could hear the screeching of metal dragging from beneath it.

"Shit!" she screamed out, as she shoved the wheel sharply to the left, just in time to dodge a car on the other side of the road.

The tires of the police car she had stolen rattled loudly over the gravel that lined the quiet road through Angel Grove's outskirts, and she must have prayed in her mind a thousand times over, before she managed to steady it back on the right side of the road.

Her heart was in her throat.

She looked in the rear view mirror and could only look at the faces sitting in the backseat for a moment, before she had to look away. Looking at Jason- a clone of him- should have been some form of comfort, had she not watched him blast away some poor security guard like a detached maniac.

And looking at a clone of herself? She didn't even have a moment to really consider that what she was seeing was real. The only thing she did know, was that the two clones that had seemingly rescued her from her imprisonment at the Angel Grove Police Station, were definitely connected to the conspiracy that was unfolding at the IBI facility.

_Please just let the others be okay_, she thought, no more tears left to shed, as she watched the passing green scenery with growing anticipation. They were getting closer to the facility with each passing minute- she could just feel it.

Kimberly steadied her eyes on the road, doing her best to calm her emotions. She heard movement from the back seat and did her best to ignore it, before she suddenly heard one of the windows begin to unwind.

Kimberly threw her head over her shoulder. "What are you doing?" she asked the clone of Jason, quickly glancing back at the road ahead.

The clone didn't respond, and instead turned around in his seat, Kimberly watching the rear view mirror with growing unease, as he seemed to move the deadly gun in his lap to poke out of the window.

"What are you doing?" Kimberly repeated with growing distress, as she felt the car wobble a little. She moved her foot to slow the car down a little. "Just sit back in the seat-."

The gunshot was loud enough to make Kimberly lose any small amount of control she had remaining. The nose of the car instantly began to swerve and she let out an uncontrollable scream as the tires began to hop up the slope beside the road, her foot managing to slam onto the breaks, but not quick enough to save the car from a slow, but damaging collision with a road side tree.

Her body rested heavily against the steering wheel, her hands still rapped around it as she stared numbly at the crumpled bonnet in front of her. She was alive; uninjured. But there was no way in the world she'd be getting any closer to the facility on anything other than foot.

"What the hell were you doing?" Kimberly demanded, as she managed to turn in her seat and glare at the two clones.

They seemingly ignored her and exited out the back door, Kimberly struggling with her own door for a moment, before she angrily shoved it open and followed them.

"What were you shooting at?" she screamed, her fists slapping her thighs. "You nearly killed us-."

Her clone stared eerily at her for a moment, before she stretched out her arm, pointing back at the road that they had strayed from.

Kimberly frowned in confusion, catching her breath for a moment, before the sound in the distance suddenly aroused her realization.

_A car...Oh God, we have to get out of here-._

A familiar car suddenly appeared from around the bend in the distance, its clearly labeled exterior suddenly breaking as it recognized the crash scene up ahead. Kimberly stepped back, her feet moving faster and faster as she realized she had maybe a minute to escape before the police had her again.

"Run!" she cried out at the clones, in a last moment effort to save them all. "Run away!"

They didn't respond, and as she watched the squad car approach them closer, she lowered her body behind the shelter of the crashed vehicle and swiftly spun around, running blindly into the dense forest she had been so desperately trying to escape in the first place.

And she ran. Her foot was literally hanging by a thread, and yet she didn't stop. She could hear the very distant sound of the confrontation she had fled behind her, but never looked back. Her criminal reputation was no longer any sort of priority to her- in fact, she hoped the police believed the clone was her long enough to stall the police from following her trail.

Tears stung her eyes once more as the shrubbery she raced through began to overwhelm her. She knew the facility was on this side of the road, but then again she didn't know what to think anymore.

Ten, twenty minutes passed. Maybe more. She couldn't tell and she didn't stop to even consider if she truly was running in the right direction.

The perimeter fence of the IBI facility was enough to almost make Kimberly cry in dread, yet at happiness at the same time. She grasped onto it with so much determination, yet only a tenth of the way up the high boundary, she felt her stamina waver once more. The wire seemed to dig into her skin. As she reached the top of it, she almost lost her balance, but held on enough to spare the long drop in exchange for tearing at her fingernails.

The inside of the boundary was as deserted as she had left it. There were plenty of trample marks on the red dirt, tire tracks from jeeps, but not a single soul in sight. She could tell instantly that she had arrived at a different end of the building, but quickly spotted a door and raced toward it with everything she had left.

She tugged at the handle so unexpectedly, but kicked it angrily as it didn't move.

It was locked.

She slammed her fist angrily against it, letting out a high-pitched grunt, before she stumbled away and followed the outside wall with expectant eyes.

As she walked around a slight bend, Kimberly slowed as she noticed a hatch door of some sort beside the wall. She slowly crouched above it, her finger pulling at the latch with surprising ease. She raised the heavy door slowly, feeling her arms struggle under the weight, before she carefully leveraged all her weight behind it, and it fell open.

She'd found a way in!

Kimberly moved her legs over the wide hole and carefully flexed her arms, hoping to all God that the drop wasn't far. She was entering into nothing but darkness, and at the rate of her physical well being, she knew she'd probably end up snapping both her legs if the drop was far.

She licked her lips and lowered her body through the hole to the point where her arms could no longer hold her weight, and she let go, crying out uncontrollably as she dropped into the darkness.

The fall wasn't far, but her landing was anything but graceful. It was like a thud. Her arms crumpled under her body, her knees slamming on what felt like wet concrete.

"Ow..." she whined to herself, as she dragged herself onto all fours, her eyes adjusting slowly to the swamp of shadow she'd fallen into.

And as her eyes finally found a dim line of sight, all thanks to the opening above her, she realized with every horror she'd ever known that she wasn't alone.

---

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**Teaser for Chapter 13 "Buried": **

She flicked her hands blindly in front of her, but she felt herself lose her balance and cried out just as loudly as he clamped his solid hands around her wrists.

"NO! No-ooo!" Kimberly yelled, as she felt his metallic fingers pierce through her bare skin. "Please! Please!"


	13. Buried

**EXISTENCE **

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter Thirteen – Buried**

* * *

Darkness could be deceiving. Fear of the dark was irrational, but it was what stood in the dark that was the pillar of all of Kimberly's worst nightmares. 

It couldn't be. Her mind must have been playing games with her- He was dead. She saw it- she was seeing things!

Her lips parted, but nothing came out.

Tears blurred any clarity.

"You…" her voice quivered. "You can't be, we killed you-."

His shadows crept along the nearby wall, a low growl sounding through the thick air separating them.

Kimberly stepped back. "We destroyed you, we uh," she paused as she continued back, but found herself against the wall. "You and Rita, and Serpentera-."

The low light glistened off the sharp blades on his fingers. She watched him with growing apprehension, the uneasiness of his silence unnerving her as much as his mutated appearance.

Lord Zedd, in his days of "un-found glory", had always stood tall, his solid body covered in a fleshy, crimson skin. He had always been ghastly by any account- the metal armor that wrapped around his torso, and the plate that shielded his face were the only parts that distinguished him from being confused with someone who had had their skin completely turned inside out.

For a teenage girl who couldn't stand dissecting a fish, Kimberly certainly never found the emperor of Zhept exactly easy to look at.

But the solid mass that wheezed only a few steps before her was nothing short of deathly in comparison to her distant memories as a ranger. It was as though the blood that illuminated Zedd's skin had been drained, his flesh almost as dark as tar.

He seemed to pause, his eyes glowing from the dull light that drifted from Kimberly's entranceway above. Kimberly shared her frightened gaze between the light and the dark, thinking through her chances of getting back above ground.

_Even with a trampoline right now, I'd never make it, _she realized with dread. _I certainly don't want to give him the opportunity to get a hold of me with those fingers of his..._

He growled again, the sound of crunching bones making Kimberly shiver as he rolled his head around, and focused it back on her.

"Don't you have anything to say?" she managed to get out, faking the bravery behind her words with a forced smugness.

The mutated emperor didn't respond, instead flexing his hands before him, as though to show-off their impressive tips. Kimberly crouched down slightly, carefully shuffling along the wall behind her in hope of discovering some kind of escape hole. It was as though she had literally stepped back in time.

She could remember it like it was yesterday.

Her capture during a weekend visit from Jason, had found both of them in the clutches of Zedd and Rita Repulsa, their bodies bruised and shattered as they spent three and a half weeks in the very depths of their moon base as helpless prisoners. It had been worse than all their previous experiences combined- the time Zedd had tried to make her his queen; her comatose abduction during Katherine's stint as their feline spy.

Kimberly and Jason were both taken off guard when they'd found themselves face-to-face with a foe they'd thought they'd both left far behind, but they'd also been confident. Zedd and Rita had never been anything more than wannabes and Kimberly and Jason both had no doubt in their former teammates who had run up an impressive winning streak over the years. They had both assumed it would be like all the other missions...they'd suffer for a little while, but the rangers would come to their rescue, before fending off one of Zedd's inapt monsters, leaving both sides walking away in one piece.

But the last mission for the power rangers had been the one to break all previous trends. Zedd had attempted to use Kimberly and Jason's lives to bargain with the rangers for their coins- which were the only access the evil couple had to an untapped power source on a deserted Earth island dubbed Seréshis. With three failed attempts at their rescue, Kimberly's certainty and faith had been ultimately damaged when hours turned into days and she was punished by the gleeful clutches of Zedd and his gang of misfits.

Kimberly had paid a dear price that final mission. Both she and Jason had been beaten until their skin was so bruised that it no longer held any sensitivity between the inflictions of pain and the pauses in between. Her last memory before waking in the Command Center was of his eyes- and Zedd's face still haunted her every day since, despite the ranger's defeating he and his wicked partner in spectacular fashion that day.

Zedd had been destroyed; she saw it, on the footage- from the accounts from her high school friends; from Zordon- even the news paraded the ranger's victory for weeks following that very date. Five years of peace following that treacherous victory meant that none of them could even suspect anything otherwise.

Could humans really have locked the alien emperor in a basement for all of these years?

Another growl made Kimberly flinch a little, and she slowly stood up, as she watched Zedd step toward her once more. He took another step, and then another, the water collected in the uneven floor giving his sudden movement away.

"Stay away," she warned in jittery voice, as she carefully quickened her pace, the shadows around her deepening as she made her way further from the only source of light. "I'm not interested in hurting you now, in fact, there are people right now that I hate more in this universe than you-."

Kimberly didn't even get a chance to finish her rambling, before the ghastly alien threw his head back and let out a glass-shattering roar. She flicked her hands blindly in front of her, but she felt herself lose her balance and cried out just as loudly as he clamped his solid hands around her wrists.

"NO! No-ooo!" Kimberly yelled, as she felt his metallic fingers pierce through her bare skin. "Please! Please!"

The blades released her suddenly and Kimberly dropped to the ground like a rag doll, as he suddenly moved from her. Leaping in bounds toward the hatch entrance in the roof, Kimberly could only stare in numbed disbelief as his mass of muscle sliced through the narrow exit, gracefully disappearing into the outside world above.

* * *

Billy's hands floated effortlessly over the keyboard before him. He didn't know what he was searching for, nor if he'd even find anything. But it was at the very least a distraction, and one that he needed now that he was officially starting to lose his mind. 

Behind him, his former teammates were swapping useless questions that no one in the room possibly had any answers for. Who? Why? Who? Why? Who? How?

He was pretty sure they wanted him to answer some of their questions, or at least he thought they expected him to. Maybe they didn't trust him anymore? Then again, it seemed the lies he had hidden from them weren't really lies either, nor the truth.

He was as innocent in all of this as they were.

"Have you found anything, Billy?" Aisha asked up, as she hunched over his shoulder. It was the first time anyone had spoken to him since he'd sat down.

Billy sighed a little dismally. "Negative," he replied almost robotically. "I don't think they kept any data on these systems in here…"

Aisha seemed to squeeze him on the shoulder, before Jason once again brought up the subject of the clones they had found.

Clones!

All Billy could think of was his father. How much had he known about all of it before he's been gunned down?

Billy swerved around on his chair, deciding to at least contribute to the group discussion, instead of seemingly alienating himself because of his weariness to speak.

"If what you guys have said about the clones is true, then it's clear that the IBI, or an underground group working under its badge, were conducting an extremely classified experiment…if what the clone of Kimberly said is indeed a fact, then one can only assume they were trying to create their own rangers, most especially if they had replicated multiple editions."

"But how could they get the ability to perform such a procedure? They would have needed more than just surveillance and five years worth of our photos…"

Billy shrugged at Rocky's question.

"And why would they want to create their own rangers?" Tommy thought out loud. "It's not as though Earth was under attack- we'd completely wiped out all remnants of the evil puke that ever existed."

Billy pursed his lips, thinking about Tommy's point. "I'm really not sure," he admitted. "I guess it took someone or multiple individuals to become fascinated and obsessed with the unknown…" was all he could offer.

"Guys, sorry to interrupt," Adam spoke up from Trini's bedside. "But we really need to focus on getting Trini to medical attention. The longer we wait, the more we risk her health."

They all immediately looked to Tommy.

"What are we going to do?" Jason asked him.

Billy could see the pressure written all over Tommy's face. "Don't ask me."

"Well, I hate to remind you, but you're the leader, big boy," Rocky commented dryly.

Tommy sighed. "Maybe a group of us should go and try and get help, while the rest of us look around for as much information as we can find on this situation?"

Billy heard an odd beeping combination drift from the computer system, and he flinched, his eyes widening as a new set of footage filled the screen before him.

His lips parted. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Kimberly and Jason. Guns in hands; showering the lobby of the Angel Grove police station with round after round of deadly bullets.

"U-uh guys," Billy stammered, glancing over his shoulder. "I wouldn't be going anywhere just yet…"

* * *

**_Angel Grove Police Station_**

"The power…"

Officer Ford leaned over, his weight pushing on his bent elbows. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong with this picture.

He looked down at the pages spread out on the table before him and then returned his gaze to stare at the two offenders before him.

Then he looked back at the pages. And back up.

He was trying to convince himself, or at least make sense of the fact that it was indeed Jason Scott and Kimberly Hart sitting across from him, but somehow it didn't look right. They were both wearing white gowns as Kimberly had been wearing when they'd obtained her the first time, but they didn't look right.

They seemed lifeless, distant. Their skin bounded tightly around their bony bodies, their eyes empty and blood shot. At first he'd suspected drug use, but his previous years work in the drugs squad meant he knew better.

He sighed and rubbed a hand over his weary face, glancing down at his watch. Time was getting away from him. He knew he'd only have so much time with them.

"Ford?"

Joseph glanced over his shoulder and stretched out his arm, as his partner approached him and handed him another file.

"Medical records," she whispered into his ear, before she sat down in the chair beside him. "They talking yet?"

Joseph flicked his gaze carefully at the two in question, before he gently shook his head. "All they've said is 'the power' over and over again…I don't know what they hell shit they're taking, but they're both completely incapacitated."

Jessie Moore shuffled a little in her seat. "Their medical records indicate they're both being treated for clinical depression by the same practitioner in Manhattan. Insomnia, depression, the works- both are being treated by an experimental drug called Laherial. Possible side effects include disturbance of sleep, mood swings and possible hallucinations and in rare cases, the inability to distinguish between reality and fantasy."

"Jesus Christ," Officer Ford whispered under his breath at the revelation. "I guess that explains why the girl was trying to convince us she was a power ranger…" he sighed. "I want you to contact this Dr. Paul Stanley and-."

"The Power…"

Joseph snapped his head to gaze at the young criminal and brought his fist heavily against the table. "We can't- we can't God damned help you if you don't-."

"Ford, for God's sake, just drop it and arrange some lawyers for them, okay?" Jessie grabbed him by the shoulder. "Come on."

"It makes no sense, Jessie – the girl was talking with perfect sense just hours earlier. There is some crazy shit going on."

His partner just stared at him with pursed lips, her eyes reluctantly gazing at the two people sitting opposite them.

"Try speaking to their parents again. The media is going to be all over this when they work out that one of them is America's ice skating princess…I'll call their doctor and see if we get him in here as soon as possible."

* * *

The footage of Kimberly and Jason, blood stained eyes and wielding deadly weapons in all hands was sickeningly transfixing. Like the scene of a car accident where you know it's not right to look, Tommy couldn't peel his eyes away as he watched two of his high school friends numbly take part in the massacre. 

The cement was just lodged in his stomach. Jesus Christ, he could only imagine how Jason was feeling at this very moment…

Tommy glanced to his left, his focus removed from the screen as he heard Katherine inhale sharply, her whispered words of disbelief muffled by her hands that covered her mouth.

"We are so fucked…" Rocky murmured.

Tommy sighed. "If the police manage to get those clones into custody, our cover is blown…"

"They're gonna think that I did that," Jason's voice was unnervingly quiet, his eyes squeezed closed.

Tommy moved around Adam and put a hand on Jason's shoulder. "We'll sort all that out, man, don't worry about that right now," he assured him.

"Why do you think they would go to the police station and just start shooting at random officers?" Aisha asked, still watching the footage that was now playing over and over on the computer screen.

"The clone of Kimberly said that they were after revenge," Adam reminded them. "Maybe they confused the uniformed police with the officers that were working here?"

Tommy squeezed Jason's shoulder one more time, before he moved around him and walked up to where Billy was sitting quietly in the corner. He could hear the former blue ranger's fingers typing over the keyboard frantically and Tommy cleared his throat, not wanting to startle him.

Billy flicked a glance over his shoulder to acknowledge Tommy, before he turned his head back to the small monitor before him.

"What is that?" Tommy asked him, as he knelt down beside him and motioned to the screen.

Billy's fingers continued to type. "They appear to be personal records. So far I've found them on Katherine, myself, Kimberly and Jason."

Tommy immediately began to scroll his eyes over the lines of writing, raising his eyebrows slightly as certain words began to jump out at him.

"Whoa, whoa," Tommy put his hand out to stop Billy from scrolling down the page. "Go back, what did that say about Kimberly?"

Billy seemed to squirm a little, but didn't move the screen back. "It appears that Kimberly has been treated for insomnia and depression over the last five years…I don't know how, but they have full medical records here on her treatment," he paused. "Why do you look so surprised?"

Tommy blinked. "Jason had the same problems," he revealed, lowering his voice to be sure that the others couldn't overhear. "He's spent the past five years trying to find a doctor that could treat him. He told me that it ran in his family, that his mother had the same thing, but I always had a hard time believing that…"

Billy looked at him thoughtfully, as Tommy continued. "What if their depression or whatever it is, was caused by what happened to them in Seréshis?"

Billy seemed to smile tightly, as though to reassure him. "I believe your theory is correct, Tommy, although we do have more pressing issues that require our attention now. We have to learn as much about this conspiracy, before we try and leave the facility."

Tommy frowned slightly, wondering what was the motivation behind Billy's tone. "Are you saying that the police aren't going to believe us?"

"I'm saying that we have to have our bases covered…we have to prepare for the possibility that the police and government are either not going to believe us, or worse, that they're behind this as much as the IBI is…maybe the government has even endorsed it."

Tommy sighed and rubbed his forehead with his hand. He couldn't believe that they probably had a chance of escaping the IBI facility, and yet here they were choosing not to leave.

And where did all the IBI officers go, anyway? And what if they came back for them, just as Kimberly's clone had warned them?

Tommy flinched as he felt a hand on his shoulder and he slowly stood up as he noticed the others were now standing around he and Billy.

"What have you guys found?" Adam wondered.

Tommy's eyes dropped to the ground as Billy responded evenly. "I'm going through various files and records that I've found on here," he turned around back to the computer and he returned to typing, stopping only as the screen flicked to something else and he let out a "What the?"

Tommy frowned, as the others seemed to shuffle anxiously. "What is it Billy?" Katherine asked.

Billy didn't reply straight away, and instead scrolled through the endless lines of what looked to Tommy to be some kind of report.

"Agent Johns wrote this report," Billy finally stated, his tone cold and almost detached. "According to this report, a clone escaped from the facility only a matter of days before they brought us all here. He escaped through an unmarked exit gate on the boundary fencing and after guards couldn't locate him after a 12 hours search of the surrounding state reserve, agents were dispatched to Angel Grove and surrounding areas to locate him and escort him back to the facility…"

"And?" Aisha coaxed him, after he stopped speaking.

Billy shrugged and flopped back in his chair a little. "That's all it says," he admitted.

"Does it say who the clone was of?" Rocky asked.

Billy exchanged an almost private glance with Tommy. "It was a clone of Zack-."

"What was that?" Jason swiftly cut him off, throwing an outstretched hand in front of the group.

Tommy's eyes immediately darkened with dread. "What did you hear?"

Jason's eyes were searching away in the direction behind them. "I could have sworn I heard someone screaming."

Aisha's eyes widened. "I just heard it again," she announced breathlessly.

"Help! Help me please! HELP!"

Tommy almost tripped over Katherine, as he quickly moved around her and rushed after Jason as the former red ranger moved to what looked to be a hatch door in the center of the floor.

Tommy put his ear to the cold concrete.

"Help!" he heard the eerily familiar voice scream. "Please!"

"Shit!" Jason practically gasped, as he began to pull at grate. "Help me get this up, someone's down there."

Tommy immediately moved his own fingers to pull at the cold metal of the hatch door, but it was almost impossible to get a strong enough grip to leverage any weight on it. Even as Adam and Rocky both squeezed in their help to the task, it took a whole lot of grunting and cursing, until finally they pried it loose and pulled it open, exposing a dark hole to whatever was down below.

"Is someone down there?" Tommy called out, as he pushed his head through the opening and tried to peer through the darkness.

"Tommy? Oh my God, Tommy get me out of here!" Kimberly's high pitched shrieking could be heard from somewhere below, her voice becoming closer by the time she'd finished her frantic plea.

Tommy said a silent prayer to himself, before he lowered his arms and felt Rocky and Adam both get a sold grip around his legs to keep him from falling in. He felt a pair of cold, sticky hands brush his from below, and he clasped around her forearms and pulled her through the opening.

"Close the door!" Kimberly immediately began shrieking as Tommy fell back with exhaustion, momentarily taken aback by her frenzied manner.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay Kim," Rocky tried to calm her down.

"Zedd's down there!" she practically screamed. "Zedd's down there!"

--

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

_**Teaser for Chapter 14 – "Faded Scar":**_

They were trapped.

Adam cursed under his breath, his eyesight blurring as he watched the familiar gray warriors crawl around the hall and hypnotically pull at the various doors.


	14. Faded Scar

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 14 – Faded Scar**

_A/N – Sorry for the delay in posting, I not only had to rebuild my computer and find missing files, but I've also moved house and have only just got the net back on...thanks for everyone's reviews and for reading...Oh, and if it seems the story pace has slowed somewhat, it gets a bit crazy in a couple of chapter's time, so I guess enjoy the nice pace for now...Cheers to you all!  
_

* * *

"...he was killed- it's simply impossible!" 

"I told you, it was him, but he was different...it was very dark."

Adam waited until Kimberly finished and looked back at him, before he moved his hand to the side of her cheek. He ran his fingers over the makeshift bandage, running it over her tender skin until she flinched and pulled back.

She winced, her blood stained hands moving him away, but almost immediately grabbing his hands as though she changed her mind.

"It really hurts," she admitted in a tiny voice.

Adam managed a smile, hoping his gentle demeanor would defuse the heat in the room behind them.

"Kimberly," Tommy started up again, stopping beside Adam as though he were annoyed he was in between he and the original pink ranger. "Are you sure that you weren't just attacked by officers from the facility and you somehow thought they looked like putties?"

"Guys," Adam lowered his hand in his lap, twisting around to face them. "Can we just leave the intensive interrogatio until after I've finished here? Getting out with Trini and Kim needs to be the priority."

He moved around behind Kimberly and carefully peered at a gash on her back. He slowly untied the back of her hospital gown and looked around for something he could use as a bandage.

"Tommy," he gestured with a cocked chin. "Can you come here and apply some pressure to this wound so I can find some more bandages?"

As masterly predicted, the awkward exchange that happened almost immediately between Kimberly and Tommy was enough to grate Adam the wrong way. He was growing impatient and didn't bother to hide it as Tommy came up beside him and he brushed past him on his search.

"Can we help you look?" Katherine asked him, as she gestured between herself and Aisha.

Adam nodded and smiled tightly. "If we can't find any bandages, then sheets or similar material should do the job," he explained.

He sighed and began his fruitful search with little enthusiasm. Okay, so perhaps enthusiasm was the wrong choice of word- optimism was probably better. He just had to remind himself that the IBI was a criminal syndicate whose very purpose was to seemingly destroy them- just as he had failed to find anything help Trini thus far, he doubted he would find anything there that would be of aid to Kimberly's condition.

Adam knelt down and began a thorough search along a low-leveled bench, brushing the useless goods off the metal surface with so much force, that he could feel himself grunting.

He closed his eyes briefly. "This place is a joke," he mumbled with distaste.

He slowly stood up and turned, catching Tommy's gaze, before he moved his attention to a conversation the rest of the group were having.

"Do you think there's a chance that the police are somehow involved in this?" Jason questioned seriously. "Maybe the clones didn't attack them through mistaken identity, but because they're linked somehow to what's been happening underground here."

Aisha turned around from the other side of the room and closed the cabinet she was looking in. "Do you realize what you're saying, Jason? You're accusing the local police of this city being part of something that is so much bigger than Angel Grove."

"But it's possible, isn't it?" Rocky spoke up with an intense look. "Maybe it was some dodge-ass under the table deal. I didn't believe for a second all that bull they went on about how Angel Grove was such a perfect and tranquil place to live."

Aisha stepped toward him. "Rocky, for that to be true, then the media would also have to be involved in this conspiracy theory. I know for a fact that we didn't cover up or make up any facts at the station. The only reason we never had anything horrible to report on, was because nothing horrible ever happened-period."

Adam shot his friend a gentle glance, as Tommy spoke up from where he stood behind Kimberly. "We can't trust anyone, guys…the police, the government or the media…that's no offence to you, Aisha- you're one of us, not one of them," he added.

Aisha shrugged slightly. "None taken," she reassured him. "But if we have nowhere to turn for help, then what are we supposed to do?"

"Is there any possibility that we could somehow find our power coins?" Katherine softly suggested with hopeful eyes.

Billy sighed rather loudly and shook his head. "Even if we were able to find them Katherine, I doubt it would do us any good. Just look at what they managed to do to Alpha- and then apply about those very same consequences to the morphing grid."

"Adam," Tommy gently spoke up, gesturing with a cock of his chin.

Adam walked over to him, surprised by the concern on his former leader's face. "Is something wrong?" he asked as he reached his side.

Tommy merely motioned with his downcast eyes and Adam followed his line of sight. The previously ivory colored material that was bunched beneath Tommy's hand of pressure was now almost the color of magenta, the blood from the deep gash to Kimberly's back lapping the material and visibly soaking it.

"I-I can't get it to stop," Tommy almost whispered.

Adam leaned forward and placed a hand to Kimberly's forehead, holding it steady as she flinched with surprise.

"How are you feeling, Kim?" he asked gently.

"My back is sore," she replied quietly. "It feels like it's throbbing."

Adam nodded, and removed his hand from her head. "It'll be okay, we just need to steady your bleeding," he told her, before he looked over at Katherine. "Kat, have you found anything?" he asked out loud.

The blond turned around and wearily raised a piece of material in her hand. "No bandages," she admitted regretfully.

He motioned with his hand and she bundled the sheet in her hands, before tossing it toward him. Adam barely caught it, but fumbled with it quickly, folding it over and over, before moving it to Kimberly's wound. He took the soaked, makeshift padding from Tommy and quietly inspected it, knowing a frown was clearly spreading on his face.

Maybe he was imagining it.

But the color of blood was red, right? It could be anywhere from that bright, ruby color to the shade of reddened tar.

Maybe it was something in the material? Or the strange, uncomfortable lighting above them that caused Adam to squint continuously.

But still, as he placed the used bandage on a nearby bench and looked at the blood that had smudged from it onto his hands, he could have sworn it was more like the color of richened fuchsia.

He sighed and quickly began rubbing his palms on his uniform, his head flinching as he heard a misplaced sound. The others were still too engrossed in their continuing conversation to seemingly notice anything else, and so he carefully made his way along the edge of the room, stopping as came before a windowed door out of the room.

And, there he saw it.

He could distinctly remember the literal hundreds of times he'd come face to face with one of Rita and Zedd's brainless warriors. Putties felt the way their name implied- every single assault to their gray forms was almost absorbed by their clay-like bodies. Their hauntingly glazed and empty expressions were almost that of a nightmare, had it not been for their lack of proving a substantial threat during combat.

There was nothing that he remotely missed about having them pop up and frustratingly ruin picnics in the park, walks home from school or games of basketball at the local court. And he'd never thought in a thousand years he'd ever come face-to-face with a pack of putties again.

Adam cursed under his breath, his eyesight blurring as he watched the familiar gray warriors crawl around the hall and hypnotically pull at the various doors out in the hallway. From their manic movements, there was little doubt in the paramedic's mind that they were looking for them.

* * *

It was turning into one hell of a long night. 

Officer Ford removed his reading glasses and tossed them carelessly to his desk, gnawing at his eyes lids with his fingers. At best, he could feel the headache that was gripping his neck muscles, but even that wasn't enough to take his mind away from the literal hell that had taken place at the station that day.

They were lucky, so darn lucky that only two officers were fatally wounded by the two seemingly possessed young criminals whose photos now haunted Joseph's every waking moment. He can't believe he considered even one death to be a lucky event.

Interviews with family members, with close associates and medical providers had been nothing more than largely frustrating. The two kids were perfect, well-liked and asides from some questionable treatment they'd both happened to be receiving for sleep disorders, there was nothing that hinted toward motivation behind the attack.

He sighed as the phone on his desk rang again. It had been ringing non-stop, to the point where he couldn't tell when it stopped and when it started.

He leaned over and pulled it sharply from the base, before he slammed it back down in frustration.

"For fuck's sake!" he snapped, standing up and angrily swiping away the papers that littered his desk.

He grabbed his head in his hands and growled unthinkingly as his office door swung open.

His partner sighed; her hand perched on her cocked hip. "We gotta go, there's been over five calls from the Jackson Boulevard district about some guys in gray jumpsuits trashing and looting some of the stores down there or something like that."

"Can't Staver get it?"

"He's already on a call."

"Meier?"

"They're off duty," she stated exasperatedly. "Come on, we'll grab a coffee on the way…looks like you need one."

"Yeah, with a double shot of scotch in it," he mumbled, as he grabbed his jacket and followed her through the door.

* * *

"Oh my Goodness…how are they here?" 

Aisha kept her head steady, but flicked her eyes over at Katherine before she blinked them heavily. She wriggled a little in her crouched position, adjusting her work skirt for the twentieth time before she glanced back over at Tommy who was ducked beneath one of the beds across the room with Kimberly.

Tommy's eyes moved between the windowed door and the spot where his former teammates were bunched together below the window, trying their best to avoid their detection from the other side.

"This is stupid, guys- hiding from putties?" Rocky muttered from behind Aisha.

"Keep your voice down," Adam almost snapped at his friend, before he shook his head apologetically.

Aisha flinched a little as she watched the shadows move on the floor before them, the sound of their unique gibberish becoming louder as she heard them tug on the door handle on the other side.

"Let's hope that glass is smash-proof," Aisha whispered.

"Guys, push back as hard as you can on the door," Billy stated in a low voice. "I don't know how long that lock is going to hold for."

Aisha squeezed her eyes and pushed back against Rocky, all of them awkwardly leveraging their weight behind them as best as they could.

"Guys," Tommy's voice hissed out. Aisha opened her eyes to look at him, noticing the shadows that had separated them had now vanished. "Looks like they're going."

"Thank Goodness," Aisha murmured with exaggerated relief.

Tommy carefully crawled out from beneath the metal bed and motioned to Kimberly, but she swiftly shook her head.

"Not until they're gone for sure," Aisha heard her tell him.

"Aisha, let me up," Rocky gently pushed on her back, and she slowly stood up, her eyes trickling with impending doom toward the door.

They were gone.

"That was close," Katherine shared as each of them slowly stood up.

"We should have just gone out there and given them what for," Rocky stated, brushing his suit as though he was concerned about it being dirty.

Aisha ignored him and walked toward Tommy, crouching down to reach Kimberly who was still huddled under the bed.

"It's safe to come out now, Kim- they're all gone," she told her gently, reaching out a comforting hand to Kimberly's.

Kimberly licked her lips a little and reluctantly crawled out, allowing Tommy to help her to her feet.

"Something didn't look right about them," Adam spoke out loud. "They looked darker then I remember them being."

"That's because they are different," Kimberly countered in a breathy tone. "Those maniacs have done something to them."

Billy nodded. "By going on the wounds Kimberly received from down below, they're substantially stronger and have the ability to inflict fatal wounds with their bare hands," he commented.

Jason released a loud clearing of his throat, almost startling Aisha because she'd forgotten he'd been in the room with them. "Adam, any more ideas on what we can do for Trini? She seems to be getting paler and paler…" he shared with dark eyes.

Aisha looked over at where her predecessor still laid motionless on the bed. It must have been the light, but Aisha couldn't believe the sickly appearance of her skin…

"If only we knew what they gave her," Katherine stated.

Adam shook his head. "I don't think this is just a result of what drug they administrated to her. Look at her skin," he said.

"It looks strange," Rocky noted.

"It looks yellowish," Aisha added swiftly, watching carefully for Adam's reaction.

Adam looked at Billy. "It has to be more than a coincidence. What are your thoughts, Billy?"

Billy pursed his lips, his eyes staring at Trini intently. "I think we need to try and find Zack…maybe if we find the report on his autopsy, we can learn something so we can help Trini."

Tommy nodded. "I think that's a good idea, Billy…but where would they keep a body or those kinds of reports in a place like this?"

"I'm certain they'd have body bays…maybe even-."

"There's some down below," Kimberly spoke up quietly, her brown eyes instantly dropping to the ground. "I saw them briefly as I ran through some tunnel. I didn't get a great look, but it looked like what you see in the movies."

Tommy clasped his hands together. "Then, that's where we've gotta go," he decided.

Kimberly spun around, quickly moving to stop him. "Wait, Tommy, it's too dangerous down there!" she argued.

He sighed, grabbing her hand in his. "Kim, it's going to be okay…we have the benefit of knowing what's down there this time," he paused and looked over at Rocky and then Jason. "Rocky; Jase. Let's go. The rest of you stay up here in this room and don't leave here unless absolutely necessary."

Aisha sighed. She grabbed Kimberly's hand for comfort as the three men pulled the hatch door open and carefully disappeared into the darkness below.

* * *

"This place is a shit hole..." 

"Maybe I should have tucked you into bed before coming out here and doing this myself."

"Quit the brown-nosing, Moore. We shouldn't be out here shit kicking...we should back at the station going through those files."

Joseph flicked his eyes over at his partner, her carefully maintained look highlighted in the street lights that lit the car's path down the empty street. It was well after one am- inching closer toward two as he steadied the police vehicle around the block for the eighth time with nothing much more than a stray cat to keep them entertained.

It was easy to feel claustrophobic slithering through the cluster of tight buildings that were the Jackson Boulevard district; the literal never ending stories of apartments shrouded the streets below in a constant rain of shadow which made looking for troublemakers an even more tedious task.

Oh sure, Joseph could see it right now- a collection of the usual old biddies with nothing better to do probably felt the need to call the cops over what was most likely to be some stupid kids running around in snow suits and sliding around on their asses on the slippery sidewalk.

He nearly grumbled out loud again, but sensing his partner's growing frustration and seizing what little self control he had, he sighed instead and offered her a crooked, yet gentle glance.

"Jesus, Ford, you're really losing it aren't you?" she accused, her voice thick with sarcasm. "Keep the dopey looks to yourself."

"I think we should talk about these kids...about this stuff-."

"I don't want to talk about it with you right now," she dismissed him, resting her head against the window. "I'm too close to this...how can they expect us to maintain our composure after something so big? I saw those kids shoot them down, Joe- I saw them-."

"Hey, hey," he offered, resting an almost awkward hand on her shoulder, keeping the other on the steering wheel. "We gotta keep it together, Jessie- I don't want to see you lose this case. This is ours, remember? Our case."

He could have sworn he heard her sniffle, but her face was turned away from him and he couldn't be sure.

"They're not gonna let us near them again...by morning they'll have those kids elsewhere and we'll be nothing more than the shit-kickers who babysat them before the big boys rolled along and took over," she recited bitterly. "I fucking hate this job," she muttered.

"Jesus Christ, you're sounding like me," he noted, returning his glance out the windscreen. "Maybe you should call it a night? I can drop you home-."

She looked over at him and shook her head softly, a timid smile faltering as she blinked at him apologetically. "I'm fine," she told him softly. Another quick smile. "Let's just find these so-called looters and get back to the office, I need another coffee."

He decided not to argue with her. She was, after all, almost as stubborn as he was and he was used to the way she mouthed off when under pressure.

"Wait," she suddenly put her hand on the wheel, and pointed out the windscreen, forcing him to look desperately through the foggy darkness. "There's movement over there."

He frowned, scowling a little at himself. "Where? I can't see anything."

"Near that bus shelter, up ahead just before the next corner-."

"Shit!" Officer Ford barked out, his hands jerking the steering wheel suddenly to the right, his vision blanketed by a sudden thud that bounced over the foggy glass and slipped off the other side. Brakes cried, the wheels wobbled and all Joesph could do was curse another dozen times until he had the car finally under control and sitting precariously close to a brick wall on the other side of the street.

"Friggin kids," he growled, as he shoveled his door open and quickly moved around the front of the car, waiting as Jessie rushed out to reach his side.

"Where did they go?" she asked cautiously as they carefully walked through the shadows.

Officer Ford felt his hand rest on his holster. He couldn't see anything. Nothing was moving, but there sure as hell wasn't any injured body sprawled in the middle of the street where they'd hit them.

"I'm calling it in," he decided, starting to turn for his way back to the car and to the radio, but a tense hand suddenly grabbed him and pulled him around.

"Jessie, what-."

He never had the chance to finish his sentence. Had he had those precious seconds left to breathe, enough for him to find his voice, he would have gone to ask her what was wrong, but it would have muffled into a holler; a scream. For he saw the clamps of raw metal strangle the life from his colleague for that one brief second before a silver staff with an intricate 'Z', illuminated by the showery moonlight above, slice from his other side and knock the life from him...

---

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

_**Teaser for Chapter 15 "Lights Out":**_

_Rocky raised an eyebrow and turned back around, starting to pace again through the tunnel. "Man, I am really starting to get peeved with all the secrets and lies," he muttered distastefully. "Considering I used to regard you guys to be family, it's nothing but a friggin disgrace. Zordon would have done himself in if he'd been around to see this!"_


	15. Lights Out

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 15 – Lights Out**

* * *

The moment the others had closed the hatch door above them, blocking what felt like their only lifeline left, Tommy almost wished he hadn't been so bold. It's not that the decision to actively search for answers to Zack's mysterious death was so brazen that only a fool would have made it, but it just wasn't safe. 

Splitting the team up wasn't being safe, just as choosing to blindly walk into a trap of potentially fatal assassins wasn't being safe.

But that's what leaders were forced to do every day. Tommy must have forgotten what it took, because now that he wandered through the blanket of darkness, he felt an uncomfortable fear he could never speak of out loud.

"Jesus," Rocky voiced in disgust, as Tommy moved carefully alongside Jason up the dark tunnel they had moved into. "It smells like a mix between a slaughterhouse and a sewer down here..."

Tommy's nostrils scrunched at Rocky's words. "I wonder where all the water on the ground has run in from?" he wondered, as he felt the pungent water lick at his feet, soaking the bottom of his pants.

"Yeah, I don't think I wanna know some how," Rocky decided dryly. "Something tells me these assholes enjoy existing in their own shit. And clearly none of them knows how to change a light globe, either," he added, stopping before Tommy and throwing an extended hand toward what could barely be seen as a broken fluorescent light.

Something told Tommy the IBI didn't use their underground level on a day-to-day basis. There was little light on offer- an occasional smashed light extended a flicker of luminosity so they weren't walking through complete darkness and the air that rested above the water on the ground was as thick as heavy cloud.

And as cold as pure ice.

All in all, it was as clichéd as Tommy could remember Rita's space fortress being back in the days of ranger glory. So typically 'evil'.

He hugged his arms around his torso and peered through the dim light to his right, watching as Jason walked silently beside him, his head lowered slightly; uncomfortably so. It was almost as though his neck didn't have the strength to support it anymore.

Tommy swallowed his increasing concern and patted his best friend on the back as though they were having some jovial exchange. "You feeling okay, man? You're not feeling sick again, are you?"

"No, bro, I'm cool...My heads just pounding, that's all," he seemed to pull his head straighter as though to prove a point. "I'm just waiting for these Zedd or Putty clones to come jumping out at any moment...you guys think you can handle it?"

"I'm ready to smash their faces in," Rocky stated confidently.

Tommy considered Jason's question seriously for a moment. Could he take a group of super-strong villains on again with his bare hands? Sure, he was still relatively fit and his body could never forget the fifteen years he had dedicated to martial arts training, but he also had a few years of junk food and lower physical activity under his belt that would probably work against him somehwhat.

Tommy noticed Jason was staring at him. "You don't seem very confident there," the original ranger leader noted.

He shook his head. "Nuh man, I have a feeling that there's probably none of them left down here, anyway- Kimberly said she had left the hatch door open and that must have been how the mutated putties escaped from here and got in upstairs."

"We saw the putties, but we didn't see any Lord Zedd," Rocky pointed out. "You don't think he got over the fence outside, do you?"

Tommy felt the twinge inside. "Maybe Kimberly only thought she saw him…you know she's had…troubles because of what happened in Seréshis."

"She's not crazy, Tommy," Jason countered.

Tommy sighed, pursing his lips. "I didn't mean that, Jase-."

Rocky stopped in front of them and turned around. "What are you guys talking about? What troubles does Kim have?" he asked suspiciously.

Jason's face was all stone. Tommy shuffled between feet.

Rocky raised an eyebrow and turned back around, starting to pace again through the tunnel. "Man, I am really starting to get peeved with all the secrets and lies," he muttered distastefully. "Considering I used to regard you guys to be family, it's nothing but a frigging disgrace. Zordon would have done himself in if he'd been around to see this!"

Tommy started after him, Jason not too far behind.

"Rocky!" Tommy called out, starting into a lazy jog in an attempt to catch up with him. "Hey," he grabbed his shoulder from behind and forced him around.

Tommy had never seen such a look on Rocky's face before.

They both sighed, but Rocky's eyes' barely softened. "Let's just find Zack," he said.

Tommy nodded, feeling strangely ashamed.

Jason stepped up beside them, and gestured in the distance. "Am I seeing things, or does that look like some kind of door up there?"

Rocky spun around and the three men instantly straightened up, their eyes all focusing on what indeed appeared to be a door.

"Let's check it out," Tommy suggested, as his hands instantly clenched at his sides and his feet very cautiously moved toward the double steel doors.

"Can you hear anything from inside?" Jason asked him and Tommy shook his head.

He rested his hands on the handle and motioned with his eyes to Rocky and Jason to be prepared for anything. Jason counted him down "one, two, three" and Tommy pulled on the door with a loud grunt, releasing it as soon as it was open enough and dropped into an instant defensive stance.

_No way…Holy Shit, it can't be-._

"Holy crap," Rocky murmured, straightening up behind him. "Looks like we've found the Command Center."

* * *

"How does it look?" Kimberly asked, twisting her neck in an attempt to peer over her shoulder. She pursed her lips a little when she realized she couldn't see down far enough to see the wound, and leveled her gaze on Adam. 

"Well?" she coaxed him again.

Adam blinked thoughtfully, his face strained as serious as she'd ever seen it. "It seems to have stopped bleeding...but you should be careful, Kim- minimize movement until the wound has had the opportunity to seal itself to avoid any further complications."

"Yeah, well it's not like we're going anywhere soon," Aisha reminded them from where she stood beside the nearby door.

Her dark eyes were resting on the window as though waiting for the mutated putties to show up again. Kimberly could feel her throat tighten at the thought- and at the possibility that the mutated version of Lord Zedd was somehow wondering the maze of the IBI facility looking for them.

God, she hadn't thought seriously until now about the possibility that there were perhaps two, three, four- maybe a dozen of the alien empire's clones' hunting them down.

She gulped and looked around at what was left of her former teammates. They didn't stand a chance against a group of them, especially now that they were down three of their strongest.

Damn Tommy and his typical plan to rush off and save the world like the big hero.

Kimberly awkwardly straightened up as she felt Adam's cold hands brush her back again, his roughened fingers leaving moisture tingling her bruised skin as he tied the ties on her gown.

She offered him a smile as he finished and carefully slid off the bed, walking over to where Trini still lay unconscious. Billy had remained hovering over her body in a deflated stance and he touched her with his saddened blue eyes as she stepped up to his side.

The tears were just a matter of seconds away for her.

"God," Kimberly whispered; almost gasped.

Billy didn't respond and his eyes only seemed to close tighter as her breath withered away.

_God, he's completely lost it..._she thought dismally, as her eyes drifted back to Trini. She couldn't avoid that inbuilt distress she had looking at her friend of so many years dwindling away, but this strange, almost selfish fear was starting to tear inside of her.

Was Trini dying because of the drug the officers had tried to kill her with, or was she dying because of her former ranger powers? Kimberly knew that was what Tommy, Jason and Rocky were trying to find out, but she was starting to lose the plot just standing around and thinking about the possibilities.

Kimberly looked down at her dirty hands. She hadn't seen her skin glow now for hours and hours, maybe more. Was that enough to convince her that the sickening premonition of death by their powers was nothing more than a twisted story that Agent Johns had concocted to drag them all there?

Maybe.

She looked back at Trini. Was she just imagining the yellow tinge that covered her skin?

No. No, she wasn't imagining it, because the others had seen it. Aisha had seen it. Adam had seen it.

So what was the real danger? Their pasts or the people trying to cover them up?

"Kim?" Katherine's gentle voice stirred her, as she tenderly touched her shoulder.

Kimberly tried to smile, but she was failing miserably. "I can't help but feel that waiting around here like this is wrong," Kimberly whispered to her. "Who knows how long Jason, Tomm-."

"Guys!" Aisha's voice panicked out, and they all spun around.

Kimberly threw her hand to her mouth, a strangled shriek clogging her throat. "No!" she gasped. "You guys, it's them!"

The mutated pack of putties were back again and it was too late to hide this time; too late to duck under beds.

"Get away from the door!" Adam hurried at Aisha as he grabbed her arm and dragged her away from it.

They huddled together, Kimberly surprised as Billy stepped up and actually moved in front of herself and Katherine protectively.

The mutants' deformed expressions were pushed up against the glass now, filling the window. The door was rattling loudly against their crazed pressure. Their constant whining noise pierced like a knife against a plate.

The door was starting to loosen.

"We have to find a way out of here now," Adam stated the obvious, none of them brave enough it seemed to move from their tight huddle.

Kimberly glanced around the room. There were only two doors. One was now blocked, and the other was close to it as the mutants closed in on the tiny sanctuary the infirmary had been offering them.

"We're trapped," Kimberly breathed out, "They're at both doors."

Adam glanced over his shoulder at them. "We have no choice, guys- we have to go down below," he announced.

Kimberly's mouth opened. "No! No, that's not an option!"

Adam moved for the hatch in the center of the room, cursing angrily as he struggled to move it open.

"Now guys!" he urged.

Kimberly couldn't move, though. Billy, Aisha and Katherine all hurried to help the former black ranger open their escape hatch to the literal hell below, but Kimberly just stared as she clung to Trini's limp hand as though drawing her strength.

"Kim, come on," Aisha pleaded with her, as Billy and Adam begun to lower Katherine through the hole.

Kimberly shook her head. "We'll be trapped down there," she argued. She looked at Trini, her body still oblivious to the horrors that were happening around her. "What about Trini?"

Adam moved toward Kimberly and grabbed her around the wrist, but they both fell into each other as the door behind them suddenly swung open and bodies flooded in. They were the mutated putties that Kimberly had been attacked by when she was below. But amongst them was a clone of her- and Kimberly was mesmerized.

Adam dragged her toward the hatch, not bothering to waste a moment standing around.

"We can't leave Trini!" Kimberly argued, as Adam forced her toward the opening in the ground. "Adam, please!"

The clone ran over to them, shrieking manically and flinging her arms out at the mutated putties as if to shoo them away.

"Run!" she shrieked at them. "Run! Run! Run!" she chanted.

Kimberly closed her eyes and let Adam push her through the opening. She fell blindly into Billy's awaiting arms of cushion below and scurried out of the way as Adam lowered himself down after her and pulled the hatch closed.

Leaving them in the darkness.

* * *

Staring through his own darkness mixed with moonshine, Phillip Hart was lost in his own exhaustion. Had it been a few hours earlier he may have found his way to some kind of cheap solace, but he'd been thinking too hard and his head hurt like hell. He was so tired he could cry- but he'd wasted enough tears since he'd returned home from the police station, branded the father of a cop killer. 

The house was so quiet.

His insides screamed for his daughter. Everything about her was suddenly so ugly and screwed up. They were so close when she was young and it was the fond memories of those times that kicked him in the heart now. He didn't even know who Kimberly Hart was anymore.

He flinched a little as his cell phone began to wail on his nightstand, but he left his head on the pillow and didn't bother to acknowledge it. He couldn't stand to go through another conversation with his estranged wife. Not now. Besides, he blamed her for their daughter's breakdown more than he did himself.

His only real fault in this was his ignorance; His reliance on tabloid news and sugary-sweet phone calls to upkeep what he thought was a typical father-daughter relationship. Caroline had a whole damn list of indiscretions- when Kimberly had decided to take up ice staking after such a sudden departure from gymnastics, she had been the one to encourage it. At the time Phillip swore his daughter had somehow derailed off the tracks, but what could he do? Caroline was the one to speak up for Kimberly to deliver perfectly good reasons as to why their daughter suddenly alienated her childhood friends, moved even further away from anyone that truly cared about her and how gymnastics was the reason why she was suddenly so injury prone.

Now he suddenly finds out that she'd been receiving psychiatric counseling for almost five years? Five years!

The cell went off again. And again. And again.

"What?" he practically snarled into the phone as he shoved it to the side of his head and sat up in a sweat.

"Jesus Christ, Phillip I've been trying to call you for over thirty minutes. I was just about to drive over-."

"I don't want you over here," he cut Caroline off coolly. "Unless this has something to do with Kim than I'd really rather you just stop ringing my phone."

"Aren't you watching the news?" she asked him, not responding to his bite like normal. "Remember those creatures that used to appear in Angel Grove all the time, the ones that the power rangers killed?"

Phillip frowned into the darkness. "Caroline, they were destroyed, what's your point…I don't under-."

"They're back, Phillip!" she harped. "Down at Jackson Boulevard all the way past Swift Street, they're everywhere and…"

Philip lowered the phone from his ear and fumbled through the dark for the remote to the television. He heard it flick on, and as the picture came into full focus he found himself moving closer to the screen, unable to believe what he was seeing.

He reached down for his discarded cell phone and put it back to his ear.

"Caroline, where are you now?" he asked her hoping she was still on the line.

"I'm staying at the Ritz Plaza…they're evacuating everyone here. Phillip, you have to get Ryan out of there and somewhere safe!"

Phillip sighed and stood up, as he fumbled to pull some clothes on. He was about to tell his ex-wife to relax; to stay calm when the phone line suddenly dropped out and he was left in the silence again.

* * *

Rocky was speechless. 

The sensation of laying sight on their old ranger headquarters was nothing short of a shock yet nothing could have felt momentarily better. The old Rocky back years earlier would have probably jumped into the air and given his two friends high-fives and broken out with a swift one-liner, but that was back then. Back when being at the Command Center generally meant that ranger business had brought them there, but that at the same time, it was the security net that held them all together.

Just as the Center had been a home to them, routines were so implanted in them all that Rocky could distinctly remember the tics and movements like clock-work. They would teleport in and Billy would almost always float over to the control panel to the right of the ringed-shape chamber, whilst Tommy would take a step in front of the others who would stand together at attention in a straight line.

Then, they'd all do it together- They would lift their chins up high and gaze toward the chamber of wisdom, to Zordon's merciful, singular being, knowing that no matter what news he delivered, he would guide his 'children' through any challenge.

That was back then, though. Back so long ago. Back before everything went so God-damned wrong.

It wasn't the Command Center that he, Tommy and Jason had discovered today- it was some large, dirty room that had locked away what the IBI had clearly cleaned out from their real ranger headquarters.

Alpha wasn't there to greet them this day, for his mangled form still stood up above in the IBI fortress where Billy and Adam had found him. Bits and pieces of what had clearly belonged to the rounded panels that had circled the inner-circumference of the Command Center were leaning against the room's steeled walls like worthless junk at a market.

At the back of the room stood the familiar ball of insight; the Viewing Globe was still intact, chunky leads and wires from it tangled across the damp floor to yet another computer system perched on a tiny desk.

What looked to be the center's old monitoring and scanning system was sitting on a metal table to one side of the room, while on the other stood a rather elaborate set-up of computer workstations, monitors and cabinets. Improvised fluorescent lights hung from the high ceiling above, shrouding them in light that they hadn't had when back out in the tunnel.

Giving them enough light to clearly see just how bad things were messed up.

Rocky gazed up as he heard a loud crunching noise from across the room and watched quietly as Tommy seemed to angrily stalk about, his stray fist hitting the wall like a nervous tick with every step.

Jason was like a statue in the corner, his dark eyes hauntingly searching for the one thing that was missing from the scenario.

Zordon.

Tommy was talking to himself, mumbling away.

"We need to find Zack," Jason spoke up numbly.

Rocky looked at his predecessor, but didn't respond.

Jason sighed loudly. "Tommy, stop pacing."

"Maybe we should go back and get Billy down here?" Rocky suggested rather numbly himself.

Billy used to be able to solve all their problems.

Tommy moved his hands to his face, and seemed to rub at his eyes, his cheeks. "Let's take a look around for anything that's worth salvaging, and then continue on and look for Zack."

The three men shared a glance and nodded silently in agreement. Rocky moved little and began sifting through a nearby cabinet, finding little of remarkable interest. He kept on finding piles of papers with abstract graphs and diagrams, but none of them made any sense to him. Nothing looked as though it had been touched in a while. It appeared as though everything was intended to stay neat and orderly, but the buildup of dampness and mold over time gave the appearance otherwise.

"Looks like another pointless lab to me," Jason spoke out loud from where he was crouched nearby.

Rocky snickered bitterly. "Guess the assholes didn't realize that they'd break everything by ripping it apart," he murmured as he moved over to the next cabinet.

He leaned forward slightly and squinted at the handle when it appeared to be stuck. Pulling on it with all the frustration he had build up, he jerked on the metal handle so violently that it came lose, bringing the door open with it.

Rocky squinted his eyes like a reflex, momentarily caught off guard by the light that blinded him from inside the delicate cabinet.

"Guys," he called out over his shoulder. "Take a look at this."

Rocky gazed back at the glowing box while his two friends joined him and he carefully removed the mystical item from the inside of the cabinet.

"What do you think is in this?" he wondered, glancing up over his shoulder.

Tommy licked his lips. "I wouldn't open that, Rocky- we should take it back up to Billy to-."

Rocky released a frustrated breath, cutting Tommy off before he slowly proceeded to lift the lid off the box.

"I can't believe it-."

"They look like our coins," Rocky finished Jason's sentence.

Then the lights went out.

_--_

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**Teaser for Chapter 16 "It's Morphin Time"**:

Katherine and Aisha both moved around as Billy practically barged Kimberly backward.

Kimberly pushed him back, stumbling awkwardly as she flung her arms forward.

"Kim!" Katherine cried


	16. It's Morphin Time!

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 16 – its Morphin Time!**

_A/N - Thanks for the reviews, I'll be updating more regularly over the next month or so, so keep checking back when you can...hope you enjoy!_

* * *

The sound of electricity seemed to crawl along the walls of the tunnel around them, causing them all to stop mid-jog and watch as the only lights to give them sight began to flicker and spasm, before they dropped out. 

The lapping of water around their feet became so caustic through the complete darkness that now suddenly consumed them.

A small whimper sounded from before him. "The lights..." Kimberly whispered.

Billy felt a shiver touch his spine. In the distance, he could hear a muffled rumbling from an unclear direction; sound from above them. Clicking. And then as suddenly as it had left them, light suddenly shot on and swelled from the broken globes along their path, the out of place humming continuing on as Billy's eyes readjusted.

He looked over at his friends, sharing their own relief. "That must have been the back-up generator," he guessed.

"Let's get going then," Adam suggested, starting back up the seemingly endless tunnel.

Billy allowed the three girls in first, and then stayed at the back of the group. No one was running now- the unbearable chill in the air had quickly consumed them all, and even Billy found himself wrapping his arms across his chest for unfounded warmth.

"Do you remember how far up those rooms were, Kim?" Adam asked from up the front.

Billy could see the vapor as Kimberly replied wearily. "I'm really not sure…everything happened so fast."

"I wonder how far up the boys are?" Aisha wondered.

Katherine hugged herself tighter. "Hopefully they found Zack," she shared. She flicked a look over her shoulder, her blond hair swinging around with the motion. "Are you all right Billy?"

Billy smiled tightly, appreciating the tenderness in her voice and nodded his head. It was a lie, of course and he was certainly anything but all right, but at least he felt numb. Had it not been for the others he wondered if he would have even bothered to flee the mutants that had broken into the infirmary above...there was literally nothing of importance left for him in the world, asides from making sure his former teammates survived this battle.

As for him, it didn't really matter anymore. He had lost everything and so much more, too much for any of it to be worth it. It was the reason Billy knew Zordon never allowed them to share their ranger lives with those closest to them outside of the circle; knowledge was danger. And it was the reason Billy had done all he could to gain access into the IBI during the five years his father had worked there.

His father had gotten too close to the secret, despite all of Billy's efforts. And it wasn't even worth anything. Nothing! That alone just deadened Billy's core and everything he ever believed in.

"Guys, I think we're getting close," Kimberly abruptly perked up. "I remember that light hanging down there, because I ran into it and it scared the shit out of me."

Billy glanced up at a light dangling from a cord attached to the ceiling as Adam stopped and glanced over at them.

"I see a door up ahead," he announced with something resembling an almost relieved smile.

Kimberly looked over at Billy quickly with a touch of fear and he reached around her shoulder in support, the group walking hesitantly toward the ajar door. Adam pushed the door the remaining distance and stepped through first, motioning back at them that it was safe to enter.

Aisha frowned deeply. "Where are Tommy, Rocky and Jason?" she asked.

Adam shrugged a little. "They must have taken the other direction down the tunnel," he guessed.

"Or maybe they've already been here and didn't find anything?" Katherine suggested.

Adam glanced over at the wall lined with what Billy recognized as being cold chambers, almost identical in appearance to what he had become familiar with during a work experience stint he'd done with a pathology class at AGU.

"Guess we'll just have to see," Adam said, as he moved to the first row of doors and began pulling them open one after the other.

Nothing. Empty. Empty. Adam continued on and quickened his pace, but stopped as a door in the third column swung open to reveal a bulky form, wrapped completely in a thick body bag.

"Oh my God," Kimberly murmured sickly, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth.

Adam looked over at them, before he grabbed hold of a thick handle and pulled sharply on it. The internal bed clambered out of its chamber and rested only a few feet from Billy. From the size; the shape, there was little to no doubt in his mind that they had found the deceased remains of a human.

_Zack_.

Billy watched Adam's hand paused on the metallic handle, his dark eyes resting on Billy before he glanced over at their female teammates. "You guys should turn around," he suggested gently.

Katherine and Aisha both followed his words, but Kimberly remained motionless, as though she hadn't heard him. She blinked and slowly followed suit as Aisha reached for her and tugged on her gown to entice her around.

Billy swallowed. Hard. He didn't know if he could look himself.

Adam moved his hands up to where the top of the covered form seemed to be and he locked onto the zip, tugging and pulling at it to unzip. The mechanism screeched and jumped awkwardly; snagging and catching every few inches it gained. Adam seemed to grunt with frustration, but Billy didn't try to take over.

He looked over at the others instead, noticing Kimberly's wayward glance trickle discreetly over her shoulder. Billy sighed and slowly walked over to the original pink ranger and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, clearly surprising her.

"Don't look, Kim..." he whispered tenderly.

He could feel her whole body shake. "It's him, isn't it?" she whispered, her voice quivering.

"Billy-." Adam's voice came out as though in shock and Billy immediately looked back over at him.

"Something's not right here," Adam continued.

"What do you mean?" Billy asked him as he cautiously walked toward the metal bed, the body bag now unzipped, but it's baggy curves still hiding Zack's body from view.

"You told us that Zack died as a result of internal damage caused by his powers..."

Billy stopped mid-step. "Yes...that's what my father told me."

Adam looked up at him. "Look at this."

Billy took one step, and then another, continuing forward until Zack's motionless body slowly unveiled. Black pants still clung to his legs...the skin on his arms was untouched, but hauntingly dark and as Billy's eyes crawled up further, the rest just blurred and he inhaled.

"No..." he breathed out. "No...it can't be..."

* * *

Katherine's eyes circled aimlessly, her fingers rolling anxiously in her palms. 

"Guys- what is it?" she asked.

Beside her, Kimberly was fidgeting uncontrollably.

Katherine tried to sneak a look over her shoulder when neither Billy nor Adam replied. Feeling instantly guilty, she snapped her eyes back before her as Kimberly swiftly swung around.

A shaky release; a whisper. "Oh my-."

Katherine and Aisha both moved around as Billy practically barged Kimberly backward.

Kimberly pushed him back, stumbling awkwardly as she flung her arms forward. "They killed him!" she shrieked.

"Kim!" Katherine cried, her heart pounding as she tried to see the horror before them.

There Zack was- his skin unnaturally dark, its formally toned surface almost jelly like. But as disturbing the sight of a dead body was, particularly in such wretched circumstances, it was not that which took the air from her lungs.

"You said his powers killed him, Billy," Aisha rushed out.

Katherine could feel the tears seeping in the corner of her eyes. She'd never felt so lost, so torn apart.

The gunshot through the original black ranger's temple was as clear as day, just as was the realization that no one could survive such an injury. The impact had completely shattered the left half of his head; his face was almost un-recognizable under a black-like substance that was smeared over his clothes and exposed skin.

Katherine reached her hand to cover her mouth. She had never laid eyes on something so graphic before in her life and the bile in her stomach was licking at the inside of her throat.

They all just stared.

Billy began to dry wretch as he crouched down to the ground right before Kimberly began to cry beside Katherine.

Katherine squeezed her eyes closed, but snapped them open as Kimberly suddenly spun around and brushed roughly past her, racing out of the room.

"Kim!" Katherine called out, before she fled after her friend, her gait staggered and feeble.

She began up the dark tunnel, her emotions spiraling her forward. She tried calling after Kimberly half a dozen times and could hear her scattered movements up ahead, but the darkness became thicker and Katherine quickly found herself becoming disorientated.

"Kimberly!" Katherine called out again, as she stopped and then awkwardly flung herself forward again. "Kimberly, come back!"

Katherine felt her voice crack and she let out a tiny whimper as she lost focus on Kimberly's movements ahead of her. Without any word to ease Katherine's mind, Kimberly was suddenly untraceable in the pure darkness.

"Kim-." Katherine stopped and cried out a little feebly as she felt her legs collide with a misplaced object and she blindly fell on all fours to the slightly flooded floor below.

She spun around and threw her hands out blindly, pulling them back as she felt her fingers run over a whimpering heap.

"Kim?" Katherine whispered hesitantly. "Kim, are you okay?"

Katherine rested her hand on what felt like Kimberly's shoulder and felt a shudder race through her as the icy temperature suddenly registered in her brain.

"I-I…" Kimberly's voice was barely a whisper. "Katherine I can't, I..."

Her words trailed off into another bout of tears and Katherine moved closer to her. She folded her arms around her friend and buried her face into her long, tangled hair.

Kimberly sniffled loudly and gently straightened herself up as though she had just regained consciousness. "Why would they kill Zack like that?" she questioned, her voice drenched in sadness. "Zack was such a good guy, such a wonderful person…"

Katherine wiped a tear from her cheek. "I never imagined that being rangers would bring us to meet a horror far worse than Lord Zedd and Rita," she murmured.

She felt Kimberly squeeze her hand, before they both released a strained sigh in unison. Katherine wanted so badly to stand up and get out of the icy, stagnant water but she didn't know if she honestly had he strength to do it. The darkness was all too consuming. She almost felt as though if she remained there for long enough, she wouldn't exist anymore.

She felt numb with fear. Too scared to move yet too scared to stay where she was.

Kimberly flinched and inhaled, her movement disturbing the water where they were crouched.

"What was that?" Kimberly whispered.

Katherine swallowed. "We need to go back and find the others…" she replied.

Kimberly slowly stood up and pulled on Katherine to follow, the two girls huddling closely together, before a distant, yet familiar sound drifted toward them.

"Kimberly! Katherine!"

"That's Billy!" Katherine let out with relief. "Billy! We're down here!"

Katherine linked her arm with Kimberly and moved in closely toward her as she heard the splashing of footsteps approach their position. It was almost nauseating being unable to see what surrounded them, but she could here the little things; Aisha's murmuring, Billy's loud breathing- all those things were enough to relax Katherine into believing they weren't in any immediate danger.

"Guys?"

"We're here," Katherine replied again.

She flinched as she felt gentle hands brush her torso. "You guys scared the hell out of us, don't ever do that again," Adam said. There was no anger in his voice, just relief.

"We need to try and find some light-."

Katherine gasped a little and turned around into Adam as a stream of light suddenly cut through from behind them, a shocked but familiar pair of eyes staring back at them wide-eyed.

"What are you guys doing out there?" Jason asked them. "Quick; get in here."

* * *

Jason pushed his feet awkwardly through the water, meeting up with the two former pink rangers before hurrying them in through the door into the laboratory. He grabbed hold of the steel framed entrance and watched with quiet relief as he counted the remainder of his friends making their way over. 

As soon as Adam came through last, Jason forced the door back close and spun around in time for all the questions to come.

"What are you guys doing down here?" Tommy asked.

But the five newly arrived rangers were too blown away by the dismantled remains of their former ranger headquarters, or at least that's what it seemed before Jason approached them and noticed how red and puffy Kimberly and Katherine's eyes were- how pale with slick sweat Billy appeared.

Jason weaved through them and stopped beside Kimberly, watching as her shattered gaze so obviously dodged his and fell off to the ground.

"What happened?" he asked her softly.

She moved her hand to cover her face, crying softly.

Rocky responded immediately.

"Kim, it's okay, you should see what we've found-."

"Zack didn't die," Kimberly's words were muffled before she dropped her hand and stared coldly at every single one of them. "They shot him...they put a gun to his head and murdered him!"

"What?" Jason let out.

"We found his body in cold storage a few bends up the tunnel to the right," Adam reported calmly; covering any emotions well. He sighed. "I'm really sorry guys, but Kimberly's right. From the close range injuries to Zack's temple, it's obvious that somebody shot him. No one ever could have survived it."

Jason felt everything inside him just pain and cement at the very same moment. He closed his eyes, but tried not to move, fearing his legs would give way to the cloud in his head.

Rocky angrily swiped his arm out in response and cursed, while Tommy merely ran a hand over his hair and stared intently at Jason.

Kimberly released a sharp breath. "Does this mean that our powers aren't killing us?" she asked in a small voice.

Rocky snickered in disgust. Jason swallowed hard, feeling the anger begin to boil inside.

Adam motioned to Rocky with a cock of his chin. "You said you guys found something," he reminded him.

"What? You mean besides the fact that our Command Center has been ripped to shreds and is now sitting around here collecting dust?" Aisha muttered.

Jason walked over to the nearby counter and carefully picked up the box that Rocky had discovered. He slowly opened it and turned it carefully moving it so everyone could see the inside.

"We've found what look to be our first set of coins and morphers," Jason stated. "Rocky found them in one of the cabinets in here…it looks like they were trying to empower them again…" he looked at Billy. "What do you think they were doing with them, Billy?"

Billy sighed and carefully took the box from Jason, rotating it around in his hands as he studied it with a stony face. "These are indeed power coins and morphers, but they're replicas…" he lowered the box from before his face. "It's manufactured power, like everything else in this facility."

Tommy slowly began to pace, speaking his thoughts out loud as he used to so famously do in the past. "So it's obvious they've been trying to recreate everything about our ranger lives – us, Zedd, our powers- but why?"

"And why would they do it here in such broken down facilities?" Adam added.

"It's obvious there are several levels of power within the organization- while the top floor, front of shop can't begin to be penetrated from the outside world, not even the workers up there probably knew what was happening down here," Billy hypothesized. "No funding has gone into any of these testing facilities. It's as though they don't exist. My father was…if this so-called project had been on an official agenda of the IBI's, he would have known about it. He didn't know."

Jason looked thoughtfully at the box still resting in Billy's hands. He went to speak, but his voice caught in his throat. He cleared it, wincing inwardly. "Why do you think they would go to the effort to recreate our power coins, yet build them on Zordon's oldest technology?"

Billy lowered the box on the nearby cabinet and took out one of the coins. "My guess would be because the ninjetti powers would have been far too superior for them to even begin to understand, let alone reproduce..." his words trailed off and he continued to almost whisper to himself.

"What is it, Billy?" Katherine asked.

He shook his head a little, before he quickly removed each of the coins and matched them up with their applicable morpher. "I think we should see if they work," he decided, throwing a quick look in their direction.

Jason frowned and exchanged a look with Tommy, the rest of them quick to join in their share of confusion at Billy's suggestion.

"Uh, Billy...I think it's pretty clear that they've demolished the Command Center..." Aisha reminded him gently. "You said to Katherine before that the morphing grid would be destroyed."

Billy didn't respond and instead extended morphers before him. "Kimberly and Jason; take one of these each," he told them.

Jason hesitated, but took the crimson colored morpher from his friend. The familiar feel in his palm was sentimentally too much for a private moment. All the times he had wished he could go back and be a ranger all over again. To feel the way he used to when he had the power of the red ranger bumbling through his veins.

Kimberly looked at Jason with a clear frown. "Billy, I still don't understand how this is supposed to work," she shared dubiously.

Billy picked up the cobalt colored morpher. "These coins are counterfeited, just like they've tried to produce clones of us- if they've taken the project to such extremities, then it's not such a stretch to believe that they could have also manufactured a power grid of their own."

Jason raised his eyebrows a little, surprised at how much twisted sense Billy's theory made.

"It's Morphin time!" he declared.

--

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

_**Teaser for Chapter 17 "Shared Vision":**_

Billy couldn't hide his frown and he slowly glanced up at Kimberly's waiting eyes.

His childhood friend wrapped her arms around her almost protectively, her own eyes slanted. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked him annoyed.


	17. Shared Vision

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 17 – Shared Vision**

_A/N - Thanks as always for your reviews- really appreciate them, so thanks! See, two chapters in a week...how very prompt of me! lol Anyway, hope you enjoy this and the next chapter should be up by the weekend or so. Oh, and with all the mystery still in the air over the events that took place during their final battle, more on that will be revealed in the next few chapters so don't worry that you've missed anything, because you haven't._

* * *

Billy slowly opened his eyes, knowing that there was no anticipation behind his speed. After all, he didn't have to have them open to know that it didn't work. 

They were still unmorphed.

"Just as I thought," he murmured, turning the morpher slowly in his hand to look at it. "They look the part, but Zordon's technology was still too great for them to capture."

"Guess it was worth a try," Jason offered him, as he handed back his morpher.

Billy avoided his almost sympathetic glance and turned around, kneeling onto the ground to carefully inspect the manufactured morphers. He sighed. It was pointless and a waste of his malnourished energy to stare at them any longer as though a solution would magically present itself to him.

He needed the tools of the trade. He needed access to a Command Center that no longer existed; access to Alpha's intricate knowledge of technology and the machinery to support it and he needed access to Zordon and all that he knew.

Billy feebly moved his attention to the steel cabinets before him and half-heartedly began to sort through them, his ears paying only slight attention to the conversation brewing behind him.

"...if you guys are saying that they murdered Zack for whatever reason they may have believed they had, then why is Trini so sick now? Why were Kimberly and I glowing?" Jason pointed out.

Billy frowned privately at the way Jason's voice seemed to barely scratch by, as though their original leader was struggling just to speak.

"Maybe the glowing had something to do with them trying to recreate your power coins?" Rocky suggested. "Maybe that's why none of us were glowing."

"Yeah, but that still doesn't explain why Jason and I became stronger and Trini became weaker after they tried to kill us," Kimberly pointed out.

Billy turned his attention away from the deliberation and focused on the cabinet's contents, his heart skipping a little as he recognized an uneven stack of familiar testing devices. He let out a breath and reached in, his hand securing around a scanning device he had used during countless of dilemmas in his ranger days.

"What have you found?" Katherine asked with soft hope, as her slender form crouched down beside him.

Billy showed her the hand-held gadget and smiled tightly. "I might have just recovered something to assist me with troubleshooting the manufactured power coins," he shared.

"Is there anything I can do to help you with that?"

Billy nodded and stood up, waiting for her to follow before passing her the scanner. "Run this scanner over Kim and Jason, one at a time," he instructed her.

His words caught Tommy's attention. "What is that for?" he asked him.

"It will double check if Kim and Jason's bodies are still physically strong enough to accept the power coins," Billy explained, raising his voice enough to catch everyone's attention. "There's always been an undeniable balance between our own, human bodies and Zordon's superhuman powers- we saw that countless of times, such as when Tommy lost his green ranger powers and when Kimberly's power coin fell into evil hands," he paused. "Unless our bodies are strong enough to contain such power, then they will not exist to their potential. One or the other has to give."

He watched as Katherine walked over towards Kimberly, before he turned back around and returned his attention back to the cabinet. Even though he was certain that whoever at the IBI had tried to tamper with much of the machinery in the cupboard, Billy guessed they probably had no idea what to do with them. He just hoped that at least some of it was still working, as it was probably their only chance at this stage at trying to unravel Agent Johns' twisted little project.

Billy glanced over his shoulder as he heard a tiny beep emit from the scanner and he walked over to where Katherine glanced at the machine perplexed. She handed it over to him and Billy glanced at the screen himself, poking a few known button combinations to no avail.

It didn't make sense.

"What is it?" Kimberly asked him confused.

Billy turned the scanner around and checked it for signs of external damage. "The device mustn't be operational...it's saying it doesn't recognize you..."

He moved the scanner's laser toward his own torso and ran it over his body, waiting for it to once again emit the same short beep and display the same error message.

This time the device let off a succinct chime, the display panel flashing with success.

_Why would it work on me and not on Kimberly? It doesn't appear to be broken-._

"Is it working, Billy?" Katherine asked him gently.

Billy couldn't hide his frown and he slowly glanced up at Kimberly's waiting eyes.

His childhood friend wrapped her arms around her almost protectively, her own eyes slanted. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked him annoyed.

Billy sighed, lowering the scanner so it was dangling from his hand by his side.

"Kim...the scanner is saying that it doesn't know you...that you're not Kimberly Hart-."

Aisha stepped toward them, her hand gesturing quickly, before slapping back against her leg. "Billy, who knows that these monsters have done to the machinery here?" she cut him off. "It's probably saying it doesn't recognize Kim because they've broken it."

Billy sighed again. "It says it recognizes me," he countered weakly, glancing around at each of his friends as though lost for words.

He held his gaze momentarily on Tommy, inwardly taken aback by the strange glint in his leader's dark eyes. Tommy's lips were tightly pursed, his whole body stiff until he gently stepped toward Kimberly and awkwardly stopped beside her, drawing her nervous eyes his way.

"What?" she asked him.

"I noticed the scar on your back is gone..." he almost whispered, his eyes down on the ground below.

Billy frowned a little as Kimberly let out a small laugh. "What scar?"

"The one on your back," Tommy replied, his voice raising slightly. "The one you got during battle."

Kimberly's eyes darkened as his accusation trailed off and her lips twisted slightly, her feet stepping backwards.

"Just what are you guys trying to say? That you don't believe I'm me?"

Jason moved toward her, throwing an almost dirty look toward both Billy and Tommy. "Kim, calm down," he began.

"Calm down?" she practically sputtered, her eyes flaring between Jason, Tommy and Billy. "Why are you guys doing this? I'm me!" she pleaded dramatically, throwing a hand up to point at herself.

Tommy moved for her, grabbing her hands. "Then prove it," he told her.

* * *

Her eyes gazed up at him so coolly, that Tommy almost wished he could look away and put the words he'd spoken back down his throat. 

Tommy gulped, releasing a quick breath as he felt Kimberly pull her hands sharply from his and throw him an accusing look.

"So," she said. "What do you want me to do?"

Tommy blinked, and slowly walked away, motioning for her to follow him. He didn't want the other's overhearing their discussion and he was fearful at what would happen if he somehow ascertained that the betrayed eyes that followed him didn't belong to their Kimberly.

He turned around "Kim-."

"How could you do this to me?" she asked, her voice surprisingly soft. "Why single me out?"

"Because I know you Kim," he explained, leaning toward her face. "You are not the person I remember. I thought I was imagining it, but seeing you now confirms it for me. And the scar- how do you explain that?"

Kimberly merely stared at him for a moment, before her eyes lowered to the ground and he could barely see them behind her eyelashes.

"Things have changed," she admitted quietly. She finally looked back at him. "I'm not the person I used to be. Here I was thinking that you guys would have changed too, but now you're accusing me of being a clone because I'm not the fifteen year old girl that you remember?"

"That's not what I'm saying-."

"I don't care," she cut him off simply. "I don't know what scar you're talking about, but I never had any scar on my back. I mean God, Tommy, you never had the best memory in the world-."

He shook his head almost angrily and stepped away. "This has got nothing to do with my memory, Kim, this is about you and the fact that there are clones of us running around this place that could easily fool us into believing they're the real deal."

"Oh so fine, Tommy, what do you want me say, huh? That I'm a clone? Will that somehow make this whole horrible experience go away? I never wanted to come back to Angel Grove like this and truth be told I didn't want to see you, but I know this is not the time for that crap to get in the way." She ran her hands over her face. "I shouldn't have come…I should never have come back."

Tommy didn't respond, but merely stared through her, feeling himself swayed by her words and becoming gradually angrier with himself for accusing her in such a way. Sure, it was true that he had considered the possibility that Kimberly was a clone, but a bigger part of him had lost control of his composure because of his personal feelings toward her. He didn't want to hurt her- Hell, he wasn't mad at her for things that happened in the past.

But the past was too overbearing like the guilt that he felt, that somehow he'd caused her to become such a bitter and cold person. Seeing everything; standing in the presence of their ripped apart pasts was tugging on Tommy incessantly. Kimberly had changed. Everything had, and he hated it.

She sighed loudly and caught his attention, before she spun around on her bare feet and walked back to their former teammates. Tommy reluctantly followed, sharing a glance with Jason, as everyone stared at the two former lovers.

"Don't worry, you guys, I convinced our former leader that I am me," Kimberly declared bitingly. "After all, who else would know he forgot to bring condoms with him the first night we were going to sleep together?"

Tommy felt his throat tighten as everyone stared at each other uncomfortably.

"What? What is it now?"

"It's not just you, Kim…the machine didn't know me either and then it somehow worked," Jason finally spoke up quietly.

Kimberly frowned, as Rocky swiftly took the scanner out of Billy's hand. "Billy, for God's sake bin this piece of junk and stop trying to plant seeds of doubt in everyone's mind," he stated annoyed. "This shit means nothing now…let's get it together. We've gotta go out there and beat Zedd, or whatever horrors they've got locked down in this basement."

Kimberly shot a look at him, stepping forward. "Those mutants almost tore me to sheds, Rocky- you can't just expect us to go out there and destroy them like we used to."

"Well we can't just sit around and wait here, either," he countered. "We need food- water…not to mention we saw how strong those mutants are. They'll corner us eventually."

"Look, we need to forget about the coins," Tommy said. "What we need now is a plan that we can use, remembering we don't have powers to back us up. It's our duty now to handle this, to get vengeance for Zack's murder and to make sure we get out of here so that people know what the IBI has been up to all of this time."

Katherine glanced at him, flashing him her honest eyes as she added "Tommy's right...we need to take control of this situation."

Aisha raised her hand warily. "I don't know about you guys, but I am really getting beyond tired...I can barely see anything clearly and unless I get some rest I may as well surrender to the IBI and their mob of mutants now."

Tommy nodded. "I think getting some rest is a good idea," he agreed. "We can take it in turns; I'll stay on guard and keep an eye out for any trouble and the rest of you should try and get as much rest in as possible."

Jason patted him on the shoulder. "If I actually manage to fall asleep, wake me up in two and I'll take over for you," he told him.

"Thanks man," Tommy said, as they all awkwardly glanced around and positioned themselves on the cold, hard ground beneath them wondering how on earth they could possibly find rest at such a time.

* * *

"_Ahhh...Kim-mee'...tell me this- how come you spent so long trying to get back that precious coin of yours, only to turn around and hand it over to Katherine?..." A snicker. "Has the Kat got your tongue? Sounds to me like you've spent too many years being brainwashed by Zordon's pathetic ideology that there is good in everyone...let me tell you this, my precious- there isn't good in everyone, but there is bad in each and every one of us-."_

"_You think you can talk me to death, Zedd? Spit on Zordon as much as you like, but face the facts- you're just binding time until they come and get us out of here and you're left whining like the bitch you married..."_

_A chuckle, but it was strained somewhat. "Yes...that's the inner evil I'm talking about. Jason was right to cry for you...he knows how much pleasure I'll have once Tommy decides you're not worth more than the pathetic planet he claims as his own trophy."_

_Kimberly tried to slide her feet toward her body, but the shackles pulled too tightly. "Tommy will save us...he always will..."_

"_Oh, so sentimental, but where is he my dear? How long has it been since you've eaten and how long does Jason have to bleed before your white knight is good enough to show up?"_

"_They will_ _come..."_

"_Love is a waste, Kimberly...your teammates don't care about the rejects anymore...you're disposable to them, just like you are to him."_

"_I hate you. I HATE YOU!"_

"_Love them, wait for them and believe in your little world...that's why you forgave that lying hoar so quickly and that's why you'll die waiting for him to come-."_

Kimberly gasped and shot up, squeezing the hell out of her thighs, before the pain registered and she stopped.

A dream. It was just a dream.

She bunched her legs to her chest and rested her cheek on her knees, feeling monetarily lost and disorientated until she remembered where she was. It was really cold. Not cold like the countless mornings she practiced on the skate rink before even the sun woke up- she could actually see the cold in the broken down basement laboratory and for a moment she wondered if she could feel her body at all.

A tear trickled down her cheek.

It was just a nightmare. Just a stupid, stupid nightmare.

She needed to sleep, she really did. Everyone else was lying so still nearby, but even amidst their own dreams or nightmares, she could tell they too felt the cold as every single one of them found the most comfort rolled into the fetal position.

Her hands were numb, but she couldn't feel her feet. Her stomach hurt.

She was falling back to sleep sitting up.

And then she saw his crimson gaze looking back at her.

"No!" she gasped in a soundless breath, her body convulsing and then freezing.

"Are you okay?"

Kimberly lowered her head to her knees and looked at him. "It was just a dream," she shared in a quiet voice.

His expression touched her with softness. "Jason told me that you've been having a lot of sleeping problems," he admitted, sounding slightly cautious.

Kimberly silently gulped, suddenly feeling so vulnerable. She bit her lip and glanced away.

"It's not a big deal," she said.

God, she was lying to herself.

She sighed. "They don't know why, but for so long now I've had trouble sleeping…At first it was crazy dreams, but then it turned into insomnia." She released a wry breath. "I'm used to it now."

Tommy shuffled a little and stared at her evenly, coaxing her attention with his attentive glance.

"How long has it been going on for? You said you, uh have been feeling this way for a long time…"

She nodded gently, wishing she could just be honest, yet she felt so held back. After all, telling Tommy the truth behind her mental anguish wouldn't make it go away. He would more likely read too much into it, and that was the last thing she wanted at such a moment.

Besides, he'd paid a heavy enough penalty with a lifetime's worth of guilt that she could never dissipate. If she told him she was too afraid to sleep in fear of seeing their old nemesis in her dreams, then he would probably kick himself in the stomach knowing things may not have been so bad had he made better choices all those years ago.

Maybe if he'd decided her life was worth enough back then, she wouldn't have been so messed up now. Perhaps if he'd bothered to realize she wasn't as strong as he thought, then she wouldn't have felt so betrayed by him even after they were reunited following that fateful final battle.

It was never the right time for them. It never would be.

"What do you dream about?" he changed his question.

Kimberly moved a nervous hand over her hair. "Seréshis…"

Tommy's face drew slightly contorted. "The place?"

"The final battle," she confirmed. "I dream about it all the time."

Silence. Only for a moment, but long enough for Kimberly to realize that Tommy was suddenly sitting so much closer to her.

"I think it's only natural that you think about it a lot. I know we've spoken about it enough times already, but it's okay for you to feel that burden...I know that you and Jason went through too much. But, it was also the best thing that ever could have happened. We got rid of Zedd; we freed ourselves from that life."

_But that's not what haunts me..._

"That's the thing," she reflected. "In my dreams, it never turns out that way. You guys were winning at the start, yes; Jason and I were afraid for our lives, but we never once doubted in you guys. We never lost. But all I see behind my eyes is everything going wrong…the impossible actually happening."

Tommy eyelids flicked a little to the ground. "You dream that we died there…that we didn't make it?" he guessed almost nervously.

Kimberly stared at him in stunned silence, before he finally looked back at her. "How did you know that?" she asked him.

"Because I have the same dream," he told her. "I've been having that dream since the very first day…"

--

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**Teaser for Chapter 18 "Unspeakable":**

Tommy glanced down at Kimberly, surprised to find her arms clinging around his. He gently pried them away and hurried over to Jason, grabbing onto his shoulders.

"Jason, stop it!"

Jason reacted almost as though in a daze and he shoved Tommy back.


	18. Unspeakable

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 18 – Unspeakable**

_A/N - A new chapter as promised...and a very big chapter at that. Just in case it hasn't been clear in past chapters (and hopefully it has), parts in the story that are written in italics represent either characters' thoughts, flashbacks, etc. And of course, thanks for all the reviews and I look forward to everyone's comments again- Cheers!_

* * *

Tommy didn't know much about the meaning behind dreams. It just wasn't the sort of reading that tickled his interest; did he really care if being chased around in his dreams meant that he was procrastinating in his conscious life? 

It was maybe two years earlier that Tommy was helping Adam during a psychology paper he was working on for his course at AGU- Tommy wasn't particularly enthralled, but Adam made him read the god-damned paper thirty or forty times. Even so, Tommy didn't exactly retain much of it five minutes after reading it, but one sentence stood out to him; even now, bad memory and years later he could still remember it word for word.

"_Dreams are metaphorical translations of waking experiences or expectations" _

Tommy dreaming about his days as the white ranger supported that theory. His mind had been stretched and ravaged by countless stressful situations that were literally etched in his conscious and subconscious mind for eternity. All the blood, the sweat, the tears; the private guilt over their final battle- it had all been such a colossal month that Tommy had convinced himself that even five years after the fact, it wasn't wrong that he still dreamed about it almost every second night.

But now that he looked directly into the pair of brown eyes that had haunted part of those dreams- the same pair of eyes that he'd loved, cherished and trusted for so long, he realized he had been just as naive about those dreams as he had been with leaving his ranger duty behind without a second glance.

Now that they'd seen all that they had since bring brought to the government facility, it would be down-right stupid of them to not see that somehow, everything meant something in the overall schemes of things.

That maybe the dreams meant something in the crazy jigsaw that was the IBI ranger conspiracy.

"Maybe it's just a coincidence..." Kimberly whispered quietly, her eyes staring at him intently. "Maybe, uh, maybe- maybe you're just suffering like me."

"You said it yourself, Kim- you saw it all go wrong," he countered, his eyes moving about as his thoughts continued to swirl. "I know it doesn't make sense because we're here; we all are- but why would we dream the same dream? Why would we both dream that we lost the final battle?"

Kimberly's chin shivered slightly, and Tommy moved to his feet, reaching down and helping her shaking legs to stand. He glanced around the room and feeling momentarily regretful about it, he proceeded to gently shuffle and tug at his former teammates' shoulders and arms, stirring them all to a rather abrupt and lethargic awakening.

"It's all right, we're in no danger," he assured them a handful of times as he watched them seemingly sigh in unison.

Rocky grunted. "Tommy, we're gonna die of sleep deprivation before we die because of this prison camp."

Aisha reached over and grabbed Rocky's wrist, peering at the watch wrapped around it with a bitter look. "It hasn't even been an hour," she added sourly.

Tommy pulled up in front of them, licking at his lips. "There's something we all need to talk about and it can't wait," he announced, glancing over at Kimberly.

She looked back at him with soft eyes and slowly moved over to his side, turning around and brushing her arm against his.

Jason leaned back against his hands, giving Tommy his full attention. "What have you guys found?"

"I need to know if any of you ever dream about our time as rangers, in particular about the final mission to the island of Seréshis?"

His friends all stared at him for a moment, a mixture of general uncertainty and clear confusion written on each of their faces.

Adam drew a serious look. "Tommy, I'm not sure what you're actually asking."

"I know what he's asking, but I don't know why he's asking it- what does that have to do with our life or death situation?" Rocky queried.

Tommy ignored the chip in Rocky's tone and nodded his head as though to acknowledge that he'd explain himself further. "Kimberly had a dream just before…" he looked down at her. "Kim, tell them what you dreamt about," he asked her softly.

She fidgeted nervously. "I had a dream about Seréshis …about the final battle. Jason and I were at the bottom of the ridge, watching as you guys were fighting Serpentera in the Megazord," she explained before hesitating. "But then out of nowhere, everything kinda blacked out. I don't remember how it happened, or why, but I saw myself waking up-."

"…and all you could see is smoke, fire and rubble," Jason finished her sentence, as he slowly stood up and gazed at her empathetically. "Kim, you shouldn't do this here."

"Jason, you don't understand, okay- Tommy's been dreaming it too- it's not just you and I," Kimberly argued.

Jason's eyes flicked questionably to Tommy.

"It's true, Jase," Tommy confirmed. "I never thought much about the fact that I kept on dreaming about the final mission until I realized that Kimberly and I have been dreaming the exact same thing as each other- not about what happened, but what didn't. For years we've been dreaming that something went very wrong in our battle against Serpentera."

"I've had a dream like that before, too," Katherine spoke up hesitantly. She hugged her knees and looked at Adam. "Adam, you mentioned you dreamed about Seréshis before as well, remember we were talking about it on the phone before Billy's birthday?"

Adam looked thoughtfully for a moment. "I have definitely had a few weird dreams in the past about Seréshis, but I never thought much about them," he admitted.

Tommy could feel his heart rate quicken a little in anticipation. "Who has had these dreams before? Where we're battling against Zedd and some sort of explosion happens?"

Aisha's mouth opened slightly, before she slowly raised her hand in the air as Adam followed suit. Katherine held her hand high, staring intently at Rocky and Billy who both remained still.

Rocky sighed and raised his arm rather hesitantly. "I don't want to state the obvious, Tommy and I'm sure as hell not trying to argue during what seems to be the only honest and open conversation we've had since being here- but Kimberly and Jason both nearly died on that mission. We were forced to choose between two of our own and the rest of the world- the stress of that month alone would have been bound to fuck around with our heads a little."

Tommy sighed with almost resignation, but flinched a little as Billy scampered to his feet and moved quickly toward one of the computer systems sitting to the side of the room.

"Billy, what is it?" Tommy asked him, following after him.

Billy remained with his face toward the system, but flung up a free hand, gesturing nearby.

"Guys, take a look at the viewing globe," he murmured, his hands floating effortlessly over the keyboard.

Tommy exchanged a look with Jason. "What are we looking at on the viewing globe?" Jason asked him.

"Does it even work for that matter?" Aisha wondered doubtfully.

Billy peered over his shoulder as the ball of insight suddenly illuminated. "There's a file partition on here that contains footage of every single battle and confrontation that we ever had during our time as rangers," he explained. "We never could have predicted the assistance that such cataloging could have provided us with future advancements to the zords technological systems, to simple things such as strategy-."

"What footage are you trying to find?" Kimberly queried.

"Footage of the final battle," Tommy guessed.

Billy nodded and walked over to join the others as the footage came into focus...

* * *

"_Tell me what will make your pathetic power pals hand over their coins?" Goldar sneered, his jagged teeth rattling as he let out a snarl and shoved his face before her._

_Kimberly's eyes squeezed closed, before their centers revealed again and wondered hopelessly for Jason's aid._

"_Goldar, back off and leave her alone," Jason offered feebly; weakly. _

_Kimberly's whole body shook, as though Jason's lack of steel was enough to sign her death certificate. For she had just witnessed what the golden mandrill had produced from the original ranger leader after the power rangers- their former teammates- failed to deliver on Zedd's bargaining for their cherished power coins._

The footage drove into Jason's eyes as though he were there in the dark dimension all over again. It wasn't hard to remember what day out of that month of hell the footage was taken from- it had been the first official day of bargaining between the Zordon and Zedd and things had not gone so well.

The terms had been simple- the outcomes had been clear

If the power rangers were to hand over their coins and allow Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa unobstructed access into the core of the island of Seréshis to gain ownership of an uncontainable power force, than Kimberly and Jason would be set free.

The catch though? Zedd and Rita would then use this new power asset to destroy the entire planet, in which case no one would live very long anyway.

There had been an option two, however and that had been the one the rangers had so dramatically chosen, whether intentionally or through lack of control. No coins for Zedd meant no power boost for his ailing empire- and that led to a tower of flesh and bitterness, keen to punish those who were not turning out to be the trump cards he was hoping for.

It had started off verbally- taunts, snide exchanges and at the most food and sleep deprivation as they forced him and Kimberly to the corner of a dirty and desolate cell in their Dark Dimension for the first few days. Then it seemed that Zedd and Goldar grew tired of the small talk. So they chose to beat the living hell out of Jason first, which was probably a smart choice given that he would have tried to kill them if they'd touched Kimberly before breaking both his arms.

Jason could feel the muscles in his throat constrict just watching it all over again:

"_You're in no chance to be bargaining with me!" Goldar declared._

_Jason tried to open his mouth, but he couldn't even manage to move his head from the cement where it had landed. "It's not…a compromise- it's a promise."_

_Goldar erupted into a fit of laughter. "That promise means nothing now- Tommy has decided you and Kimberly are not worth the air you breathe. You belong to Lord Zedd now!"_

Jason blinked and glanced away from the viewing globe, almost looking away embarrassed as he caught Kimberly's own disturbed eyes. Around them, their teammates were watching the footage with an intense mesmerisation, but for he and Kimberly it was a poignant reminder of what was almost their final weeks alive and breathing.

What were Billy and Tommy trying to find out by watching this footage? Jason was frustrated, feeling as though they were stalling and wasting precious time that they couldn't afford to simply throw away on some bizarre idea.

"You all right, man?" Tommy whispered and Jason nodded, glancing back at the footage reluctantly:

_The rangers were huddled together in the safety net of the Command Center, yet they'd never appeared so fragmented and divided at the same time. _

"_Sunset is less than two hours away," Tommy reminded everyone in a tone that failed to conceal all the dread that came along with such realization. "If anyone has something to say, then now is the time to do it."_

_No one spoke up._

"_Billy; Alpha- any luck with securing our live feed on Kimberly and Jason again?"_

_Billy shook his head, gnawing at his eyes with his fingers. "It's clear that the energy from the power source on the island is playing havoc with our sensors, almost as though throwing our scanners off- the only thing that is clear is that Zedd has taken Kimberly and Jason's bodies with him in Serpentera to Seréshis-."_

"_What do you mean 'their bodies'?" Rocky asked, his arms crossed over his chest. "We saw them alive- they're both strong, they'll hold on."_

"_For God's sake, Rocky, the last time we saw them alive was over five days ago," Aisha dismissed him. "This wouldn't have happened if we would have just handed over our coins originally like Zedd asked- we made a dirty deal that's cost us our friends!"_

"_Aisha, enough with that!" Rocky snapped back at her. "Tommy made the right decision- if we handed those coins to Zedd then it would have been handing him a grenade with the promise to wipe out the whole planet. Jason told us that he and Kimberly would hold on long enough for us to come up with a plan."_

"_They're not dead," was all that Tommy said. "Alpha, get the zords on standby...we leave for Seréshis in exactly one hour's time..."_

"Tommy, I'm so sorry for those things I said to you," Aisha blurted out, breaking everyone's concentration on the footage before them. "I never meant to question your leadership, I was just scared out of my mind- you made the right choice."

Tommy leaned over and patted her tenderly on the arm. "Don't worry about that now, Aisha," he told her genuinely, before he looked over at Billy. "Billy, is there any way you can fast forward through this footage to the end of the battle- the moment where we sent off the winning shot that took out Zedd, Rita and Serpentera."

Billy moved back over to the computer system and hesitantly tapped on a few keys. They all watched as the footage on the sphere globe began to speed dizzyingly through the beginning of what looked to be the zord battle in Seréshis against Zedd's prided war zord. Jason could hear Billy once again tap away, bringing the electric footage to real-time pace again:

"_Goldar!" Zedd's voice thundered, his solid weight practically stampeding down the center passage inside Serpentera. "Where are Kimberly and Jason?"_

_Jason coughed on the metallic taste that covered his tongue, his broken hand no longer feeling any sensation as he feebly attempted to scoop Kimberly's limp body beneath his own._

_Zedd stopped above them, his crimson gaze tilting and a disgusted little laugh creeping from behind his face plate. _

"_I thought I told Goldar to snap your neck after he was done playing with poor little Kim-mee'?" he sneered._

_Jason tried to speak, but only a strange moan seemed to escape, saliva mixed blood sliding down the corner of his lip._

"_You better...get back...in the...pilot seat, asshole...you're about to be served your just-deserts..."_

Jason looked away for a moment, before turning around and walking slowly away, not heading anywhere in particular except for away from the viewing globe.

The sounds of battle drifted from behind him. The sounds of metal against metal. Tommy's orders over the zord's internal speaker system. The others obliging and barking out 'yes!' and 'right!' every handful of seconds. He could hear the fire cry from Serpentera as succinct fire attacks could be heard from its fuming nostrils.

The sound of sparks. The sound of the Shogun zords fighting back.

Jason guessed that by this stage, they were well within the battle and it was safe for him to watch again. He walked back over and stood beside Tommy, folding his arms over his chest.

Tommy let out a muffled noise. "Guys, what is that?" he murmured aimlessly.

"What?" Jason asked, his eyes scoping the battle footage for something out of the ordinary.

Rocky stepped forward and pointed toward the top of the screen. "What is that flying from the distance?" he asked. "I don't remember Zedd and Rita having a fleet of zords that look like miniature planes."

Billy stepped up beside Rocky. "They didn't...those look like some kind of unmarked, light carriage fighter jets..."

Jason frowned, strange noises and gasps sounding from everyone as the unidentified planes seemed to come in even closer to the battle.

"Why would they be coming in so close?" Jason asked, looking over at Tommy.

"I-I don't..."

Tommy's words trailed off and Jason just stared, simply stunned beyond comparison as the footage began to swing all over the place making it almost impossible to follow any logical order of events. It kept moving between the cockpit of the Megazord, back to wide view of the battle before them...

And then slam! The footage seemed to combust into static and snow-like flickering, the video's audio component hanging on long enough for them all to hear words clearly spoken from the voice of their leader:

"_Zor-don...(heavy breath)...I don't...we've been hit...Oh God..." _the sound of crying- of Tommy's crying, almost screamed from the viewing globe, the sphere still showing nothing but static.

"_Rangers,"_ Zordon's voice sounded severely distorted._ "We've lost all video communications. Our sensors are picking up a severe level of damage to the Megazord, please respond immediately."_

Jason felt the color drain from his face as the audio from Tommy continued:

"_Rocky?...no (shaky breathing)...guys, speak; say something...Zordon...Zor-don this is Tommy...send help...do something, please...oh god...(more crying)...God, no! No! ...they're dead...they're..."_

A loud bang from outside the laboratory forced them all to tear their desperate and disbelieving attentions from the viewing globe. Jason spun around and threw a protective arm in front of his friends as the door suddenly flung open and a bloody and injured Agent Johns clung to the door frame, breathing heavily.

* * *

Tommy was still dazed, unable to respond immediately as Jason literally leapt for the door and clamped his hands around the IBI officer's shoulders. Rocky and Adam quickly moved after Jason, but the original red ranger threw out a free hand and pushed them away, before he forced the injured agent to the ground and stuck the heel of his foot to his throat. 

"Are you the one that killed Zack?" Tommy could hear Jason spit the words out venomously, his fists clenched at the side of his hospital gown. "Cause you picked a really fucked time to come in here and twist your little mind games."

Tommy glanced down at Kimberly, surprised to find her arms clinging around his. He gently pried them away and hurried over to Jason, grabbing onto his shoulders and pulling him off Agent Johns.

"Jason, stop it!"

Jason reacted almost as though in a daze and he shoved Tommy back, stopping only when Tommy countered and then crouched down over the IBI agent.

Images of Hank Cranston's weeping eyes before he was blown away flashed in Tommy's mind.

"What the hell is going on?" Tommy growled at him.

Johns seemed unable to find his voice, blood and saliva foaming from between his parched lips. Tommy grabbed hold of the man's collar and abruptly lifted and then slammed the back of head back against the ground.

"You better start talking," Tommy warned him.

The agent spluttered uncontrollably, his face twisting in discomfort, before he looked up at Tommy.

"You were all part of a cloning experiment," he finally said, before his eyes practically rolled back into his head.

Tommy tightened his grip on Johns' shirt and grunted loudly as he pulled him to standing, shoving him up against the nearby wall.

"You had better keep talking."

Johns seemed to smirk, but his deteriorating state seemed to dwindle his ability to regain his composure. "You're all the center of a cloning experiment..."

Rocky snickered loudly. "Yeah, we've already met some of our evil twins," he stated dryly.

"Why did you start the experiment in the first place?" Billy asked up, surprising Tommy with how level his voice remained on speaking to the monster that had killed his father.

"You saw the footage-."

"What footage?" Tommy cut him off.

Johns breathed loudly. "The footage from your final battle..."

Tommy shoved his weight abruptly against him. "That was nothing but crap," he spat at him. "What we saw on that viewing globe is not what happened in Seréshis."

Johns turned his head around and began to chuckle. Tommy grabbed his head and slammed it against the wall, before shoving him to the ground. With anger and confusion pulsating in his weary head, he turned away and tried to collect himself, before focusing once more on the IBI officer.

"You and your mob of twisted sickos must have planted that footage," Tommy reasoned. "We were all there to see Zedd and Rita destroyed...we all saw the footage back at the Command Center."

"It wasn't supposed to happen the way it did," Johns explained. "I had led a team force with the objective of uncovering your identities. We had our suspicions and knew everything about you, but at the very same time knew shit all about who you were. But how happy was I when I finally got the clue to link up who you all were- seems you should have told your girlfriend not to discuss ranger gossip on the phone," he added looking over at Kimberly.

Tommy glanced over at her, watching as her face fell with guilt.

"No one could hear our conversations," Tommy shook his head dismissively. "We had access to technology that prevented anyone from tapping into our phone lines."

Johns feebly tried to straighten himself up. "And who made that technology? There was a reason that Hank Cranston was appointed head of our data and developments unit- like father, like son, I guess."

Billy stepped up beside Tommy. "Are you saying that my father helped you discover our identities?"

"Indirectly," Johns confirmed. "His motives were pure, just as mine were-."

Jason let out a sharp, bitter breath. "You're a piece of work."

"You still haven't explained how you came up with that footage and audio," Tommy reminded the agent.

"After working out who you all were, we were able to follow your every movement- tapped into phone conversations and eventually into what we learned was your internal communications system. And we were there when both Kimberly Hart and Jason Scott were abducted from Barlings Beach, Florida by your ranger enemy- we did not intervene as that would have been a risk to their safety and to our mission to learn as much about you as possible."

His words stopped, and his head rolled slightly.

Tommy kicked into his leg, stirring him roughly. "Then what?"

"Well it took you nearly four weeks to come up with a plan, didn't it?" he murmured. "I spent almost twenty-four-seven tapping into your rather desperate deliberations over whether it was in your best interests to save two of your own or the rest of the world...we got a time and place for your planned strike against Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa at the island you named Seréshis...I then ordered a team of forty agents to stake out the location."

"The planes in the footage?" Aisha guessed.

"There were no planes there," Jason practically snarled, inching toward the agent. "I was there watching it front, center row- you're nothing but a dirty liar."

Johns cleared this throat, his voice responding in a raspy manner. "Those planes were ordered by me to keep their distance from your battle- they weren't ever supposed to become involved..." he looked at each of them with cold eyes. "I can't explain what it's like to be that close to one of history's potentially greatest moments. It seems the power source that your enemy was after had more than a detrimental effect on each of those planes- the energy acted as a magnet, grabbing hold of every single jet and bringing it on a collision course with the island. I watched it happen before me on the monitors..."

He shook his head and looked down. "As each of the planes headed on a direct path for the ground, they intercepted a succinct attack from both your fighting zord and Lord Zedd's zord. The two extraordinary attacks at such close range, combined with those planes was a fatal mixture- the explosion alone was so detrimental that it literally took months for us salvage the footage but when we arrived there, there was no denying what had happened-."

Tommy crouched down before him, his eyes widening with desperation; his head screaming out in disbelief.

"No!" Kimberly let out, shaking her head sharply. "That didn't happen!"

Johns locked his gaze on Tommy. "I'm very sorry Mr. Oliver but you're not who you think you are- none of you are. That final battle became one of the greatest disasters in government history. It spelled the end of all- the end of Lord Zedd and the end of the power rangers. And it left me with no choice but to cover up the truth...no one can ever know the truth...ever..."

--

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**_Teaser for Chapter 19 "Code: V171250"_**

Rocky rubbed at his face. "So you're trying to tell us that what that murdering asshole told us is the truth- that a bunch of government planes flew into our battle, killing us all and leaving them with no choice but to cover their worthless asses by creating clones of us..." he flung his hands in a wide gesture, before he pointed at himself. "That WE are clones!"


	19. Code: V171250

****

Existence

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 19 – Code: V171250**

A/N - Well, I hope you all had a great Christmas/holidays/religious celebrations...Thanks for all the reviews last chapter and apologies for not replying to all of you, as I currently have very poor internet access and I'm lucky enough to even upload this chapter (This is about the twelth attempt). Have a Happy New Year to everyone and I hope you continue to enjoy the story!

* * *

"What?" Rocky gasped out bewildered. "You've got to be fucking kidding me."

Aisha looked up at him, her eyes haunted and confused. "Rocky, what is he saying?"

They all turned sharply as a loud clamoring suddenly thudded from the other side of the steel doors, forcing them all to their feet and to attention.

Tommy stepped back and extended his arm. "Guys, be quiet," he hushed them.

Rocky fixed his gaze on the evil IBI dictator, his nerves building and churning at the manner in which the man's eyes rested on the main door out. He wasn't just looking in that direction out of fear or out of curiosity on what was approaching from the other side- but as though he was looking for that perfect moment to escape...

"Tommy!" Rocky barked out as Agent Johns broke into a dash for the doors.

Tommy and Jason both sprinted after the agent, but halted quickly as he ripped the door open, and a collection of metallic-clad mutants greeted him on the other side.

"Tommy!" Kimberly screamed out.

Rocky hurried over to the side of the room and picked up a piece of steel, tossing it over to Jason.

"Johns," Tommy yelled out after him, keeping a distance. "Don't be a fool!"

The agent glanced over his shoulder, his eyes empty of any emotion, before he forced his way through the door and delivered himself to the crazed clones on the other side.

Tommy hurried over and forced the door closed again. Rocky and Adam moved for a nearby cabinet and dragged it over, grunting and forcing it up against the door.

Rocky tried to steady his breath and grabbed his forehead between his hands, as screams of pure agony pierced through the doors from the other side .

"Damn it!" Rocky snapped, throwing an angry fist against the wall. "He got away!"

He shook his head and looked over at Tommy, watching as their leader crouched to the ground and buried his face in his hands. Rocky sighed. He could feel his vision almost blur, as his conscious fought off extreme fatigue and the fact that he'd just been told they were killed in a government disaster five years earlier.

"Billy," Jason was breathing hard. "Tell me they planted that footage in there..."

Billy's face was empty of all natural color. "That file partition can't be tampered with, Jason...it is what it is- that was direct footage from the battle..."

Rocky rubbed at his face. "So you're trying to tell us that what that murdering asshole told us is the truth- that a bunch of government planes flew into our battle, killing us all and leaving them with no choice but to cover their worthless asses by creating clones of us..." he flung his hands in a wide gesture, before he pointed at himself. "That WE are clones!"

Tommy stood up and walked over to the other side of the room, before he swiped his arm out without warning and pushed a pile of papers and reports off the top of a cabinet. He rattled his hands around a small collection of stationary and pulled loose a pair of scissors.

"Tommy, what are you doing?" Kimberly asked him cautiously, moving toward him.

He didn't reply, and instead moved the scissors to his pony tail, before cutting it off with several, strained snips.

Jason moved over toward him, as both Rocky and Kimberly gasped out in bewilderment at Tommy's actions. "What are you doing, Tommy?"

Tommy stopped and lowered the scissors slightly, as he turned to look at them all. "When we were speaking to the clone of Kimberly upstairs, she told us she couldn't see our marker," he started numbly, his eyes unfocused. "We were listening, but we didn't hear what she was saying- she knew we were clones. We have to find the markers..."

Rocky sighed. There was no way in hell that he could believe any of it, but his teammates were literally faltering and falling to bits before him. Just as Tommy was trying to prove that they were clones, Rocky had just as much motivation to prove otherwise- and he walked over to Tommy and grabbed the scissors from him.

"Let me do it," Rocky told him, before he grabbed the shortened strands of Tommy's dark hair and began to cut them away.

Rocky looked over to the side as Kimberly and Billy moved over to Jason and began to untie the back of his hospital gown.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Kimberly asked out loud, as she let her fingers crawl over Jason's bare back.

Tommy went to move his head to look at her, but Rocky held it steady. "The clone we saw upstairs had a very small marker on her arm. She said it read V-three-something- it was a combination of numbers- it was supposed to tell them what number prototype they were."

Rocky continued to snip at Tommy's hair, frustrated at how long it was taking.

"Can you see anything?" Tommy asked.

Rocky licked his arid lips. "Not yet..."

"There's nothing here," Kimberly announced as she straightened herself up behind Jason.

Rocky ran the blades against Tommy's scalp and literally pried the hair from the back of his head. He could feel Tommy's body jolt sharply in response and hear him curse under his breath, and Rocky apologized fleetingly.

Aisha stepped up beside him and twisted her face. "Rocky, you're making him bleed," she pointed out. "For God's sake take it easy."

Rocky flicked her a dirty look. "It's not as easy at it looks," he told her coldly.

She sighed and placed a gentle hand on his, her brown eyes looking at his with so much sorrow that it took him back too many years. These were the people he had admired and loved for so many years and look where they were now. Look what had become of them.

Look what had become of him.

Rocky handed her the scissors and rubbed Tommy's head gently with his sleeve at the small spots of blood. He really couldn't see anything that stood out. The whiteness of Tommy's scalp against the short, jagged remains of his hair was a complete contrast, but even still there was no tattoo of numbers, no intricate marking...

"Rocky," Aisha reached up to grab his arm, as she pulled on him to look lower.

"What have you guys found?" Katherine asked up from behind.

Rocky moved his eyes on where Aisha's pointed finger rested not far from Tommy's left ear. From afar it looked like a dark line, but as Rocky focused in even more the line quickly separated into small, distinguished digits.

No way...

Tommy sighed loudly. "You've found it, haven't you?" he asked.

Rocky look away for a moment, feeling as though someone had kicked him in the stomach. "V-1-7-1-0-1-0," Rocky read out loud.

"Are you sure?" Adam asked.

Rocky nodded his head sullenly and stepped back. "Clear as day...Jesus..."

Tommy turned around before he motioned to Aisha to pass him the scissors. Adam stepped forward and cocked his head slightly.

"Do me next," he volunteered.

And so Tommy began to hack as gently, but as quickly as possible at the back of Adam's head. They all gathered around in a circle, watching quietly as short clots of black hair floated to the floor at Adam's feet.

Tommy pulled back. "I've found it," he cleared his throat, as he lowered the scissors to his side. " V-1-7-0-8-2-0."

Rocky looked at the ground. "This can't be happening," he whispered to himself.

Another round of loud scurrying from outside of the room momentarily stole the moment, before Rocky forced himself to block it out.

"What if they get through?" Kimberly breathed out.

"Yeah, we could worry about being eaten by mutated putties or we can worry about the fact that we're clones," Rocky muttered, but he swiftly shook his head at himself the moment his sentence finished and Tommy leveled a stony gaze at him.

"I'm sorry Kim," Rocky apologized with a dismal sigh.

Jason began to cough, and hunched over, the sound of phlegm choking him up as he began to dry wrench.

"Jason?" Kimberly knelt over him, moving her arm over his shoulders. "Are you okay?"

Adam moved over to his other side. "He needs water...we're all dehydrated."

Jason straightened himself up and gently shrugged Kimberly off. "I'm fine..."

Then the silence came. There was too much to say, but no words to communicate it.

"Is that why I don't have a scar on my back anymore?" Kimberly randomly questioned, as she looked over at Tommy. "Because we're not real?"

"That's the most plausible explanation," Billy replied quietly. "I can't say I know much about such technology, but from what I do know they would create exact replicas- the same age as the original prototype, but based almost entirely on genetics with little inclusion of environmental impacts such as whether or not the prototype had freckles from the sun or say a scar from being injured..."

Rocky looked at the ground. He was in no mood for the science lesson, nor was he interested in accepting this twist thrown at them. The markers meant nothing- a poignant coincidence maybe, or perhaps a very smart plant by Agent Johns.

"If we died, then tell me this- how is it that we were at the Command Center after the battle and Zordon was there and everything was fine...what, did they clone Zordon too?" Rocky quizzed.

"They must have planted those memories in our minds somehow," Aisha reasoned, but Rocky shook his head.

"How can you all be so willing to believe the words of that spineless creep?"

Adam sighed. "Rocky, to be shocked about this is understandable and we all feel it; but to be in denial about it is not going to make the situation go away- the simple fact is, is that both Tommy and I have markers that fit in with what that clone told us upstairs. There is footage from the Command Center's own audiovisual system which showed the Megazord being wiped out and has Tommy saying that we were hit and killed..."

"Guys," Billy called out, and they all turned around to notice as his hand rested on the handle of an ajar door. "There's something I think you should all see."

* * *

Walking into the newly discovered room was like walking into a cold freezer, but Billy was too overcome to notice how dangerous it was for them to be in such an icy temperature. 

The damage before him now was too clear, instantly filling Billy's nostrils with the pungent odors of rust and mold, illuminating from the abandoned skeletons of their prided pasts. The once polished and sleek shells were disjointed, completely unrecognizable; A heap of pick-up sticks existing of only scrap metal and scattered memories.

He had never seen the Megazord in such light before, despite expecting it and mentally preparing for such an event more times than he could remember. Working for tireless hours on the mystical technology, Billy could distinctly remember how intimate he'd become with Zordon's machinery. How he'd felt a sense of himself go into them each time he'd serviced them alongside Alpha 5 or proudly diagnosed faults before they implicated their numerous battles.

And now, as he stared at the scattered remains of what he knew was the rangers' collection of indestructible Shogun zords, he felt pain. It hurt so terribly bad.

No one was speaking. What could they say? The expressions of numbness; the wetness in everyone's eyes' was more than anything they could express verbally. They were all mourning such a realization, the cruel joke and incomprehensible stuff-up driving further into their hearts.

Billy grabbed his forehead in his hand and squeezed with everything he had.

The sobbing started shortly after. The break in silence was almost permission to speak up, and Tommy's voice filtered through surprising clear and level.

"What does this mean, Billy?"

The former blue ranger felt his head pain from his own force and reluctantly looked back toward the wreckage. "It's difficult to determine the exact causes, but its clear the Shogun zords were at some stage severely decimated. Its clear from the rust and other external symptoms that this damage occurred quite some time ago…"

"How did it get here though?" Rocky wondered out numbly.

"Johns said they were trying to cover the evidence," Jason mentioned. "But…" his sentence trailed off, as he slowly ran a hand over what appeared to belong to the once commanding red Shogun zord.

"I knew it," Kimberly started whispering in a frenzied manner. "I knew it."

"Man!" Rocky slammed his foot against the ground, before running a hand through his hair. "This is completely fucked-up!"

"I can't believe they would do this to us," Katherine shared in a shaky voice. "This is just sick."

Rocky spun around, gesturing with his right hand. "I don't care what that son-of-a-bitch said back there, but this doesn't mean shit- they've done nothing but lie through their teeth the whole damn time. There is no way I'm gonna believe that I am not me."

"You saw the clones," Aisha argued, stepping toward him. "That clone of Kimberly could talk and everything-."

"Just stop it, okay?" Jason broke in sternly. "We don't need to be doing this right now."

Kimberly crouched to the ground and lowered her face in her lap, her jittery tears muffled by her hair. As Aisha dropped to console her, Billy managed to step toward the wreckage, carefully following its perimeter as his mind swelled with question after question.

He could remember the exact moment when Rito Revolta had destroyed their Thunderzords in plain sight. At the time, the anguish had been almost too much, as though realizing they could actually lose. But like so many times that proceeded that day and eventually followed it, hope had come through. They had won and moved on to become even more powerful.

It had been over a year later that they had claimed the biggest victory they had ever hoped to achieve. The inexpressible pride from Zordon had made their years of sacrifice worth it- knowing they freed the world from Rita and Zedd's clutches was so unbelievable at the time, but it had given them what they'd dreamed of: A normal life and the opportunity to hold their memories of being rangers as just that.

But now it was confirmed that not only did they lose a fight, but they had lost everything. Zordon; themselves.

Billy paused as he came to a large piece of shrapnel blocking his path, and clumsily rolled over it. He watched as the nearby wall changed shape, and his blue eyes followed the cold surface until they rested on several cold storage freezers along the back wall.

Casket chambers? Why would they have those in here? Billy cautiously approached the first one.

He slowly moved his hand to stroke the cold surface of the chamber, but the ice in the air seemed to cling to the thick glass, blocking any view of the contents. He pressed down harder and quickened his pressure, and the obscured glass began to reveal an even more chilling content...

"Oh God..." Billy felt his knees weaken. "Oh God it can't be us."

He could have been sick, but it didn't feel real; it couldn't be real. It was like looking at his reflection in a mirror, but instead he was looking at himself. A real body, lying deathly stiff inside the glass casket.

Billy bent his knees and slowly lowered into a crouching position, dropping his forehead into his hand.

"Billy?"

Billy squeezed his eyes shut, before he slowly lifted his head to acknowledge Katherine. His head was screaming at him- tell her to stay back! Tell her not to come any closer!

But it didn't matter anymore.

Katherine halted awkwardly only a few feet away, her eyes wide. They trickled over the row of chambers, before finding Billy again as though begging for an answer.

Noise sounded slightly from her lips.

Billy stood up and turned away from her as he heard the approaching footsteps head in their direction.

"Billy? Katherine?"

Billy turned his solemn gaze on his leader and waited as the others joined his side.

"What are those?" Aisha asked him, pointing toward the casket at Billy's side.

Billy swallowed, the lack of moisture in his mouth burning his throat. "These are cold chambers," he began. "They're similar in composition to what you would find in a morgue or to what we found Zack's body in..." he sighed, watching each of their faces falter; their eyes die before him.

Tommy walked over to him and lowered his gaze into the only exposed casket. "You were wearing those clothes on the day of the final battle," he noticed with a murmur.

Billy nodded, and reached up to place a hand on his shoulder as though to console him somehow as the others walked over to the casket to join them in sorrowed contemplation.

"Agent Johns was telling the truth," Billy quietly spoke up. "I can't explain it, I'm sorry..."

The silence was deathly. Billy looked away and rubbed a hand at his eyes, before he valiantly glanced back at his teammates. It was as though every single one of them was subconsciously sorting through the past five years. Where were the clues? Where were the signs?

How the hell couldn't they know?

"What are we going to do now?" Kimberly asked miserably.

Billy looked at Tommy and Jason before he meekly shrugged and turned away.

--

TO BE CONTINUED…

Teaser for Chapter 20 "Crestfallen":

"What is it?"

The shock was written all over Rocky's face. "It looks like a giant fighting robot to me...and one I've never seen before."


	20. Crestfallen

**Existence**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 20 – Crestfallen**

_A/N – Only 2-3 weeks left and I'll have a proper Internet connection back at home! Thanks for the reviews and apologies for the delay in updating...very busy month. :-) And because I've had a couple of people email me and ask I thought I'd mention that yes, there is still quite a few chapters to go in this story...I won't be specific, but we're about 2/3 of the way through...  
_

* * *

So this is what it felt like. 

To be so distraught, that you don't realize you've been crying. To feel so lost, that you don't bother worrying about where you are or trying to find out where to go next. Secrets ruined and changed lives every day. But this…this was incomprehensible.

Tommy actually couldn't fathom crying at this point. It's not that he wasn't devastated by what they had just learnt, but it was too hard for him to honestly comprehend. He wasn't real. They weren't real people.

He guessed he was in shock.

He felt Kimberly brush against his leg every so often, as she continued through a cycle of sobbing, catching her breath and then silence. He'd done so much as to stretch his arm low and sit it on her shoulder, but apart from that he'd remained mostly still, watching the others go through the turbulent motions.

"Tommy?"

Her voice came out so softly, like a breath of a whisper and Tommy almost didn't hear her, until she pulled his attention with her large, watery gaze staring up at him.

He swallowed and used the wall behind him to slide down beside her. It was the moment he went to speak to her that he realized he had actually been crying, and he sniffed suddenly, clearing his throat half a dozen times.

"I don't know why, but it's like I always knew something terrible happened that day," she began to speak. "It was always so painful for me to think about it, that I never did, except for the dreams…"

She leaned her head back against the wall and looked at him. "Maybe this is a dream too, huh?" she tried a fleeting smile, but it was short lived as her face fell just as quickly.

Tommy sighed and brushed her face with his hand. "I don't think so, Kim…" he replied sadly. "Somehow I think the nightmare is only just starting…"

Silence again.

"What do we do now?"

_What do we do now? sigh I don't know…_

At his silence, she began to sob again and he merely leaned his head against the wall behind them and covered his own display of emotions with his hands. A small part of his head was kicking, ringing in his ears and telling him that they didn't have time for this- there was too much at stake.

But the bigger part of him just crushed his common sense. He could only question their motivations now; the direction which they needed to go. What they were actually fighting for.

He sighed and allowed his hands to slip from his face, before he pulled his legs to his chest and looked back over at Kimberly. Seeing her cry like that was killing him.

"Hey," he gently slid his arm around her shoulders. "You're going to make yourself sick crying like that..."

At his comment she seemed to choke a little on her emotions and cough. He rubbed her back as he caught Jason's image heading toward them, stopping short and standing tall.

"Guys?" Jason's voice was directed at all of them in a deep voice.

Tommy watched as the remainder of his teammates looked over at Jason, faces resting somewhere between devastation, madness and confusion.

"I know we're all in shock right now and I..." Jason paused. "We have to get it together. No matter what, we are who we are and I don't give a shit about this cloning stuff, because we don't know any different."

To Tommy's surprise, Katherine verbalized her own disagreement, releasing a somewhat bitter and unstable sigh. "They murdered us...we're not even real people," she reminded him numbly.

"We were created for the purpose of carrying on, Kat," Jason countered. "We could have gone through our whole damn lives without knowing any different."

"But doesn't this mean then that we're no different from all the other clones here at the facility?" Aisha stated. "We're all clones..."

Billy slowly stood up from where we was sitting beside Adam. "In essence, that's true Aisha, but given what Kimberly's clone told us upstairs and using that to decipher the tags we've located on both Adam and Tommy, then we're the original clones. We're as close to the real thing as you could get."

"Why though do you think they would extend that to making multiple copies of everyone, and even copies of Zedd...of putties?" Adam questioned. "Johns said they wanted to cover up the disaster, but none of that fits in or makes sense."

Tommy looked over at Rocky, wondering why he was being so withdrawn and silent.

"Are you all right, Rocky?" Tommy asked up.

Rocky nodded his head once or twice, but avoided Tommy's gaze. "Rockin' on," he replied dryly.

"Whatever we choose to do, I don't want to die here," Kimberly spoke up softly.

Tommy watched Rocky shuffle loudly.

"We're not going to die because of this, not again," Tommy decided. "We need to find out what we can about the cloning project and as much as we can about ourselves. Billy, do you think any of the computer systems or paperwork back out in the laboratory will have any of that kind of information?"

Billy's mouth remained still. "I wouldn't really know where to start, Tommy," he finally admitted in a small voice. "This is beyond...everything."

Jason stepped forward and looked quickly at Tommy, before returning his steeled eyes to Billy. "We just have to start from the beginning," he decided. "And as cliched and hopeless as it seems now, we need to stick together...let's cry about this when we find a way out of this place."

* * *

Unbeknown to the rangers, the very heart of Angel Grove was being ripped apart and annihilated. 

Smoke effortlessly escalated through shattered windows, as buildings burnt and struggled to stand tall above the weight of their broken foundations. Cars had been mostly abandoned on the streets, as people took to fleeing on foot but in such trying times, it was almost as though everyone were running in circles.

"Move!" Phillip Hart barked, as he pushed a younger man out of the way in frustration.

He sidestepped random piles of smashed glass and store goods looters had assumably abandoned in the street in order to save their lives. Slowing as he watched the approaching intersection, he turned and looked back over his shoulder.

The noise; the screaming and the destruction almost blew his ear drums.

He could see four, five- no wait, there was more of them back up there now.

Over fifteen of the gray things he remembered the Angel Grove Gazette used to call "putties" back in the good old days. They seemed to be multiplying with every street corner Phillip turned, or maybe he was just imagining it.

Phillip swallowed and turned back around, jogging for the quickly approaching corner. He followed the brick wall closely and turned, but pulled back suddenly as he collided with a pair of haunting eyes.

He could hear a woman scream wildly only a few feet behind him.

The mutated creature swiped toward Phillip, and he flinched, pulling his body away, but still collecting the very tip of the monster's claws across his torso.

Phillip winced and scurried his feet backward, but the creature just menacingly followed, mimicking every attempt in movement with an unearthly ease.

"Stay back!" Phillip yelled.

He blindly grabbed onto a wooden pale at his feet and threw it at the putty, before he spun around and attempted to run off. The soles of his shoes frequently went to lose their grip; threatened to turn him onto his back, but he pushed on, squeezing his eyes shut as he passed too many people calling out for his help.

His only thoughts turned to his children and that moment he'd last spoken to their mother.

Where was Caroline now? Yes, he'd been stupid to come into the eye of disaster to look for her. Was she amongst those screaming out for help? Buried somewhere beneath the building rubble?

And Kimberly...they had her there at the station, so she must have been safe, right?

"Help me, please!"

Phillip stumbled and collided with the side of an abandoned car, his eyes reluctantly moving for the anguished voice. The woman looked to be in her forties- her weight being supported by her hands, but her legs clearly lost under what belonged to a now fallen bus shelter.

He felt his throat tighten. "I-I..." he swallowed and looked back at the trail he had just stumbled along, before he slowly fixed his gaze on her.

She just squeezed her eyes closed, rocking and crying out incoherently.

There was nothing he could do for her.

A sharp, sudden noise sliced through the sounds of death and desperation. Phillip couldn't pinpoint its initial direction, but as he pried his attention away from the severely injured woman, he could see a short swarm of dark figures hurry into the main street in the short distance. With their bodies bulky and large, rigid firing weapons cocked before each of them, they quickly dispersed, blazing through the carnage and dispensing shot after shot.

Phillip watched, motionless. He felt his throat tighten as one of the officers sprinted in his direction, dispensing a round of well-aimed ammunition through a pack of swarming putties.

He focused his eyes on the familiar emblem perched on the man's uniform.

_IBI..._

"Sir, you have to evacuate the area immediately!" the officer barked out, pulling up before him.

Phillip's eyes darted about with a crazed sense of frustration. "I'm looking for the mother of my children," he explained, gesturing with his hands. "I promised my son I would come for her-."

The officer pushed him aside and jerked his gun back up before him, before sending another bullet off.

"Sir! I will arrest you if you refuse to follow my orders!"

Everything was so loud! Phillip looked about helplessly, before he nodded his head with defeat and started in a weary jog. He would run a few steps; flinch, stop. Start again. Then stop. There was so much screaming, so much gunfire, so much roaring and he didn't know where he was going...

Phillip stopped again, as he approached another street corner, and a young man rushed out from the other side, shoving past him in a frenzy. Phillip collided with a nearby street bench, falling heavily on his side and only just saving himself from colliding with the pavement below.

He swallowed his saliva, his eyes anchored to the ground. Shadows moved along it. But then...a larger shadow.

Phillip threw his head up in time to watch a flesh-covered mutant throw its strong arms out wide, before slicing them down and crushing his skull.

Everything went black and silent.

* * *

Adam carefully switched the pages in his hands, his eyes falling on another, almost child-like drawing. Bright colors, boldly scribbled beyond the subject's outer edges and a strange uncanniness to the pictures his five year-old cousin used to draw for him. 

Except for the subject manner.

"Billy?" Adam looked over at the former blue ranger who was still hunched over the cabinet nearby. "What do you think these are?"

Billy straightened up and walked gingerly over, taking the yellowed page from his weakened grip.

"I'm not much of an art critic, but these pictures look like really bad drawings of Zordon," Adam added, as he watched Billy study it for a moment.

Billy released a long, steady sigh. "I don't think a child did these, but perhaps a person with a lower than normal mental capacity."

"Like a clone?"

Billy nodded, and then cocked his head back over to where he was sitting earlier. Adam glanced over at the remainder of their friends on the other side of the laboratory, all of them still immersed in scouring the cabinets and cupboards in an almost eerie silence.

"What have you found?" Adam whispered as he reached his friend's side.

He watched Billy sift through manila folders. "These files contain hand written notes on observations unnamed individuals made on so-called 'subjects'…" he pulled a sheet out and handed it over to Adam. "That sheet is dated the twenty-forth of June 1997…three days after the battle on Seréshis."

Adam ran his eyes over the messy scrawling, his attention honing in on the same words over and over again… _the subject…it…they…successful…successful…it…_

"What were they observing?" Adam wondered.

Billy sighed a little and took the paper back from him. "I can't be one hundred percent certain, but given it was so close to the time of the explosion, I can only assume these observations were of us," he seemed to gulp on the 'us'.

His words held even Adam in a reflective silence.

"From all accounts, everything seemed to go quiet successfully," Billy continued. "I haven't been able to find any official documentation on the cloning project, but in this report here on subject V170820, the observer wrote how the clone had verbalized and displayed a substantial grasp on the original prototype's background and history pre-creation, and that they deemed the dubbed 'brain download' a success…"

_V170820…_

"That's the number that I have on my head, isn't it?" Adam asked, despite already knowing the answer.

Billy nodded. "Aisha's theory earlier that they must have downloaded our memories from our actual bodies appears to be accurate," he admitted. "The technology they would have required to do that..." Billy shook his head to himself, his words trailing off.

Adam licked his lips and reached for the pile of folders, quickly scouring through them for nothing in particular. The handwritten reports all had different identification numbers scribbled on the top of them, but it wasn't difficult for Adam to match descriptions with the ominous tags.

Everything from speaking first words, taking first steps and being toilet trained, to acting in a socially acceptable manner; Their creation and 'training' was all documented, step for step. Adam scanned through the dates...maybe two weeks...that's all it took; a couple of weeks to produce an almost fully developed human being capable of carrying on in another's life without so much as a hitch.

He lowered the files to the cabinet, his eyes looking about aimlessly. "There's only six files here," he mentioned to Billy.

Billy looked up from another batch of papers he was feverishly scouring through. "There doesn't seem to be files there on Jason, Kim,Trini or Zack," he confirmed. "However, if you look at this computer print out I've found..." Billy slid the page over the counter and the two men huddled together to study it.

"What am I looking at?" Adam queried, seeing nothing initially more that an elaborate grid filled with numbers.

"I believe this is some kind of overview of the actual project, from a time and date standpoint. The first columns are main and sub categories showing a break down of the original subject and the number of versions created..." Billy ran his index finger along the page. "And these are dates...I'm guessing this is a time line of the cloning experiment."

Adam skimmed his eyes down the list. "Billy, look at the dates- they created six clones only a few days following the final battle, followed by another two a few days later...but then, look at the figures- almost two weeks later, they suddenly started making clones like crazy- I wonder what would possess them so much to suddenly start mass producing like that?"

Billy shrugged a little. Adam could tell his friend was struggling to maintain his composure. "Johns mentioned that he started the project to cover up the accident...but I can only imagine the feeling of knowing you created what could be potentially the first group of successfully developed human clones in the history of science...I believe the initial success fueled an unquenchable desire to push boundaries. I believe obsession got the best of them-."

Adam almost jumped as he felt a body press up against them both. "I think there's something you might want to take a look at, Billy," Rocky flicked a look at them both.

Adam frowned and turned around, taken aback by his childhood friend's expression, gripped by an uneasy confusion.

"What is it?"

The shock was written all over Rocky's face. "It looks like a giant fighting robot to me...and one I've never seen before."

The former red ranger passed Billy the page in his hand and Adam waited anxiously for Billy's response.

"Where did you find this?" Billy wondered.

"It was in one of those cabinets over there," Rocky confirmed. "What do you think it is?"

Billy shuffled uncomfortably and Adam felt rather put off by his friend's strange discomfort. "This is a plan for a Megazord," he finally conceded and Adam watched Rocky's expression become rather impatient. Billy handed Rocky back the page. "I know this, because I was the one who created it."

Rocky's face flinched. "What do you mean, you created it?"

Billy shrugged. "They were never more than drawings and I certainly never intended for them to fall into anyone else's hands. It was the only way I could fill the void which remained after we retired...They must have somehow found them after-."

He stopped and they all turned to stare as a solid thud rattled from the other side of the main exit from the laboratory. Adam watched as the others all stopped their own, quiet conversations and stood to a stand in time to watch the door rattle again.

The sound of metal against metal was like nails against a chalk board.

Adam watched Rocky curse under his breath, as they all quietly moved together, bodies tense and waiting...

The door rattled again and Kimberly let out a shriek from behind Adam.

"We have to get out of here..." Adam whispered, looking to Tommy.

The door exploded open, and a pack of a metallic-clad clones thrashed their limbs out wildly, before settling their glowing red eyes on the defenseless former rangers...

--

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**Teaser for Chapter 21 "Faded":**

"Oh god..." she let out in relief, as Tommy swiftly smudged the blood from her nose across her cheek. Her chin began quivering uncontrollably. "They're going to kill us..." she began to almost hyperventilate.


	21. Faded

**Existence**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 21 – Faded**

_A/N – Thanks to all for the reviews...sorry I haven't been able to thank everyone personally, I still have a very shonky Internet connection...so thanks to you ALL! As a general reply to some, all will be answered in this story, so if you're worried that some things may not be answered, you need not bother, because I've already got it all covered :-)...well, hopefully..._**  
**

* * *

Tommy's body instantly jolted, his arms flinging tensely before him as one after the other flooded through the door like a swarming illusion. 

From somewhere behind him he heard his female teammates shriek and cry out in panic; Beside him, Rocky and Adam both pushed aside chairs, while Billy and Jason succinctly dropped into defensive stances nearby.

"Stay in front of the girls," Tommy stammered, before he grunted and clenched his fists.

The first heavily armored mutant pulled up only a handful of feet before them and let out a mind-blowing holler, banging its heavy fists against its metallic chest.

"Damn, looks like nobody's bothered to polish and shine Goldar since Seréshis," Rocky muttered.

"What'd we do?" Kimberly cried out.

Tommy flicked a look over his shoulder. "Stay back, we need to-."

_Wham!_

Tommy felt his entire stomach scream and roll as the lightening reflex caught sharply beneath his ribs. His balance twisted and he felt Rocky's hands grasp him by the shoulders and shove him back to standing.

"Don't fight!" Tommy rushed out to his teammates. "Pull back!"

He reached out behind him and grabbed hold of Kimberly, pulling her roughly against his back.

"Rocky!" Aisha cried out, and Tommy spun around in time to watch as another Goldar clone latched onto the former red ranger and threw him heavily against nearby shelving.

The monsters' continued their approach and within one-two-three seconds, Tommy was overcome, lost in a whirlwind of screaming, howling, flailing limbs and falling bodies.

He couldn't hear anyone; he couldn't see anyone.

Tommy pushed blindly forward, but slipped, catching a heavy fist to the side of his face. His head literally snapped, and he sent a wash of saliva and fresh blood out from the abrupt impact.

Kimberly was suddenly beside his aching body, her arm clinging desperately around his torso. With his vision still glazed, he watched helplessly as she tried to crawl to crouching.

"No!" she shrieked, as she dived her body down against his, just missing another fist targeted for her.

Tommy scrambled up, pushing her behind him. He leveraged his weight heavily against the tarnished creature's legs and it stumbled back, buying Tommy enough time to find his feet.

He jerked Kimberly up behind him. His eyes locked in on Jason nearby, sprawled on his hands and knees.

"Jason!" Tommy called out, as he started for his best friend.

Katherine and Billy's raised voices echoed from some other direction.

Tommy scurried to his knees as he dodged another mutant, but he was jerked back around as Kimberly's hand was ripped from his. He tried reaching for her, but could only watch as the gold hands continued to pull her away from him.

Kimberly screamed out hysterically, hands flicking and legs trying to kick back for her freedom. Tommy leapt after her, tackling the creature at its shoulders. The momentum sent Tommy continuing to the ground, as the mutant clone's grip on Kimberly slipped somewhat.

Tommy grunted and barreled toward the heavily clad creature again, but it swung madly and diverted him, before sending a sickening palm to the side of Kimberly's face. The force sent the pink ranger's petite figure flat to the ground, before the deformed Goldar pounced over her and moved its muzzle to the top of her torso.

"No! Please! No, no, NO!"

"Get off her!" Tommy barreled into the crazed creature again, knocking it onto its back.

Kimberly was still shrieking and wailing deliriously, her eyes squeezed shut and body wriggling, despite Tommy's intervention. He grabbed her arms and pulled her up, watching her eyes snap open in shock.

"Oh god..." she let out in relief, as Tommy swiftly smudged the blood from her nose across her cheek. Her chin began quivering uncontrollably. "They're going to kill us..." she began to almost hyperventilate.

Tommy tugged on her hand and quickly pulled her toward the closest wall, before he spun back around for a quick re-evaluation of the ambush. He counted them quickly- twenty or so direct copies of Zedd and Rita's former chief servant were aimlessly rampaging around the tight room. Finally he could see his friends amongst the carnage, but it was a frightening revelation.

No one could fight. Every single one of them was either ducked, huddled or sprawled on the floor.

Tommy felt his neck tense as one of the tarnished mandrill's noticed both he and Kimberly were free from their direct menace. It locked its glowing eyes on them and hypnotically began to drag its legs toward them.

"Jesus..." Tommy growled until his breath. He felt Kimberly dig her finger nails into the backs of his arms.

"Jason needs help!" Billy suddenly raised his voice above the mutants' incessant snarling.

Tommy tried to find both of his old friends, but the approaching clone blocked all of his view.

"Stay away!" Kimberly suddenly screamed at it, before she leapt a little forward and flung her fists against its chest.

The monster was slow to react and Tommy didn't hesitate before he sent a solid leg to its right knees and a lengthened arm to its chest. It lashed its limbs out toward him, raking both of its razor claws down his bare arms.

"Argh!" Tommy moaned, as he kicked at it again and broke free.

The creature stumbled and twisted awkwardly.

"Come on!" Tommy hissed at Kimberly, before he clamped his hand around hers and dragged her behind him.

Tommy knocked over chairs, rebounded off furniture; papers and bits and pieces went everywhere. Kimberly was calling out behind him, but he didn't stop to listen to her. Honest to God, they were two seconds away from being eaten alive and he couldn't fight the innate rush to find safety at all cost-.

He stopped suddenly and Kimberly collided into him.

Tommy could barely breathe as he eyed the cloned Goldar with pure distress. It was the only thing blocking them from one of the exits out- but unlike some of the others, the color of its armor was a touch lifeless; the glow of its eyes somewhat faded.

_Screw this_!

Tommy jerked heavily on Kimberly and dragged her behind him. He struck his free arm out, pushing heavily against the creature's sturdy chest, but it didn't do so much as weakly counter, before stumbling backward. Kimberly cried out; Tommy just kept on going and fell out into the darkness of the tunnel, scampering around as soon as he found his balance.

"Tommy!" Kimberly was breathless, struggling to get to her knees beside him. "We need to go back for the others-."

"There's no time for that," Tommy cut her off, standing up quickly, and pulling heavily on her arms.

She winced loudly with his movement, as Rocky's voice was heard yelling out from the now devastated underground laboratory. Tommy grabbed hold of his forehead, but jumped quickly as Kimberly darted back for the room.

From behind, he held his arms tightly around her shoulders. "Don't, Kim!" he pleaded. "Let's find a way to get those things out of there, right now."

* * *

Jason couldn't explain the feeling, even if he were somewhere completely different and actually capable of moving his lips. As it was, he couldn't feel the heavy weight on top of him, but he could feel the shadows of the powerful beast hovering above his broken body. He could try to call for help. See, he's trying now. 

But not even his lips moved to trace out his agony.

"Jason!"

_Jason! Jason! Jason!_

The shadows above him stirred and he forced his eyes to chase their movements, before a sudden set of brown eyes stared back at his with a feverish anticipation.

"Jason? Jason, where are you hurt?" Aisha begged him, as she began to pull on him, as though trying to get him to move.

The feeling returned to his limbs, but even as he moved to sit with her aid, an overwhelming sense of disillusion almost brought tears to his eyes. The room was an absolute mess- as though he'd waken up in some demented, messed-up reality.

He grabbed his head, realizing how loud his ears were ringing. "I'm okay," he tried to offer the former yellow ranger.

"Guys!" Adam's voice called out at them from near the exit, his arms gesturing wildly in his direction.

Jason sighed, and lowered his hand, noting the blood now stamped across his palm. Man, he was so thirsty.

How long had he been out of it for?

"Are you capable of standing?" Billy asked, as he suddenly appeared at Jason's side.

He nodded feebly and allowed the pair to help him to standing, before he looked around again, counting in his head, adding them all up, wondering who was missing?

"Where did they injure you?" Billy asked him, as they gingerly moved toward the exit of the demolished laboratory. "You were unconscious for a long time..."

Jason's eyes trailed across the ground, wondering over the broken plastic, dented steel panels and armored bodies sprawled motionless beneath their feet.

"Jason?" Billy asked again.

"I'm okay," he finally replied, stopping just at the exit as he noticed Adam hovering over Katherine's hunched over form.

"Is Katherine okay?" Aisha asked with concern.

The blond raised her head and managed to look over them, braving a smile as though to counter the deep gash to the side of her neck.

"She'll be okay," Adam assured them.

Rocky was resting against the door's frame, holding his arm gingerly, his face twisted uncomfortably. "Where the hell did Tommy and Kimberly go?" he muttered, moving to roughly push the sleeves of his business shirt up.

"I saw them both escape a while ago," Billy admitted. "But I have no idea where they were going."

Jason relaxed somewhat. At least his absent friends weren't lying dead amongst the rubble behind him.

"How did you take care of the clones?" Jason wondered.

The ambush and subsequent struggle felt like a really bad dream now. Jason's own recollection was blurry- and clearly incomplete, given the last thing he could remember was believing they were all going to die there.

Die again.

Rocky shifted the weight of his body uncomfortably. "There was only two or three of them that actually had any real strength. The rest of them were weak as piss..."

Billy rested his hands on his hips, breathing carefully. "None of the clones displayed any intellectual tenancies...none of them talked and they all appeared faded to some degree," he paused and rubbed his face. "We need to find Kimberly and Tommy."

Rocky nodded, straightening up, as Adam and Katherine followed in suit.

"I'll go first," Rocky told them, stepping through the gaping entrance. To Jason, it sounded more like an order than his successor volunteering, but nobody bothered to object.

Jason was actually surprised by Rocky's nature, which was in such a contradiction to what he'd conjured up from long distance phone calls to Kimberly and Tommy. The pink ranger had always referred to Rocky as being "so funny" and "cool", but now that Jason had spent such considerable time with him, he wondered if maybe Kimberly had held back on Rocky's attributes in a unconscious effort of protecting Jason's feelings or pride.

It was eerily quiet out in the tunnel, with just enough light to make out the outlines of everyone's bodies. But Jason found a strange solace in the dark that he hadn't back in the laboratory. Staying to the back of the group he had enough cover to actually feel his own pain and scream under his breath at it without worrying what the others might think of him.

"Tommy?" Rocky suddenly called out, and the noise flew through the air around them, echoing like crazy.

They waited.

"Come on," Rocky voiced for them all to follow again, and feet scrambled faster this time, the tunnel gradually lighting up as they approached a bend in it-.

They all fell into each other as Rocky collided heavily with Tommy who had been clearly sprinting in the opposite direction. Jason scrambled to his feet and sighed loudly. Thank God. Rocky cursed under his breath, before he slapped Tommy's hand and patted him on the back.

"God, am I glad to see you guys are okay..."

"Yeah, well you scared the shit out of us, where did you go?" Rocky asked him.

"One of those things nearly began to eat Kimberly in front of me, so I got her out and we tried to find something to go back and fight with..." he stopped, and tried to clear the rasp in his throat. "You guys are never gonna believe what we've found down here."

They all shared an anxious glance, before they trampled after Tommy, following the tight bend of the tunnel. It wasn't long before the passageway changed shape and they came across the first cage.

Jason glanced around the dimly lit room, the smell of mold and God knows what else almost too much- there were more of them. Doors, cages, cells...clones.

Clones everywhere.

Tommy stopped and turned to look at them. "This must be where they kept all the rejects," he stated bitingly.

There were three clones in the first small cage, which was such a tight fit that their bodies were practically meshed together. Their skin was almost see-through, so thinly wrapped around their limbs that Jason could clearly see the bones and veins beneath.

And the sound...there were so many clones in the room, but none of them spoke. All Jason could sporadically hear was a misplaced whimper or grimace as though their lips were bounded together.

"Oh man," Rocky was dumbstruck, as the group of friends walked past more cages. "How many times did these son-of-a-bitches have to fuck up before they realized their friggin' cloning experiment was a failure?"

Katherine was barely walking. "Why would they keep them like this? It's awful..."

And then suddenly, Kimberly's voice called out to them all from up ahead.

"Guys! Come look at this!"

* * *

Kimberly was immersed in the moment, everything was so quiet and her tired mind- so very, very tired, was mesmerized and saddened by what she had stumbled upon. 

More clones. But these were so...different.

They were like colored ghosts.

She grasped one of the vertical bars between them and slowly crouched down, as she heard the trampling feet of her teammates approach from behind. They were talking and probably speaking words or asking questions to her, but she didn't listen to them at first.

Kimberly swallowed, as she moved her head to look up at Tommy and Billy, before turning back to stare again.

"What are they?" Adam asked up quietly.

Kimberly looked up again as she felt hands brush her shoulders; her back.

Billy's sigh whispered past her cheek, as Aisha spoke up with disbelief. "Were they experimenting with new powers?" she asked.

"I really can't explain it," Billy began. "They're fully morphed, and yet I have no comprehension of where they are drawing powers from to remain in a clearly permanent morphed state..."

"Or why they're so faded," Kimberly added as Jason rested a hand on her shoulder and leaned forward.

"They look like they're in pain," he noted despondently.

Kimberly released a disheartened breath. "Do you think they can hear us?" she wondered.

She felt a hand squeeze her shoulder. "I don't think so, Kim," Jason replied. "And it's probably a good thing."

Despite Jason's even and reasonable reply, Kimberly still cleared her throat and pressed her face against the cold, steel cage. "Hello?" she spoke up, watching as the five cloned rangers remained in their trance. "Can you talk? We're here to help you, we can help you-."

Her words were cut off and she let out a yelp, as the red clone suddenly lurched and then bucked, flinging itself against the cage's walls. She scampered to standing along with the others, watching with hopeless intrigue.

Kimberly looked around at her teammates. "Do you think we can let them out?" she asked.

"Honestly, Kim, I think we should just leave them be," Rocky said.

Katherine looked over at him with conflicting eyes. "But we can't just leave them here," she argued sadly.

Surprising Kimberly, Billy spoke the next words "We can't take any of them with us. It's too much of a risk."

Aisha let out a slight scoff. "A risk of what? The country deserves to know what the IBI has been doing...freeing these people and showing the government might be the only way Jason and Kimberly can possibly avoid being arrested for shooting those agents. It would be immoral to leave them here."

Tommy sighed, taking a step forward. "I understand what you guys are saying, but we can't look at them as being people," he said calmly. He sighed. "They're nothing but the unfortunate result of this- there's no life for them."

Kimberly held his gaze and tried to offer some sort of comforting reassurance, as Aisha and Katherine both looked down.

"What do we do about the ones that can talk?" Adam quietly reminded them.

Kimberly could see Tommy's face strain as Adam continued in a most uncomfortable tone, "Do we leave them behind, too?"

Tommy sighed again, this time loudly as he rolled his shoulders and looked at Billy. He flicked his hands and went to speak, but seemed to give up.

Jason patted him on the back, which appeared to do little to ease Tommy. "Guys, I know it's hard, but the important thing right now is for us to get out of here and to do this the right way- there's legions of mutants who might have broken through the outside barrier and if they reach Angel Grove, then things are gonna get a whole lot worse. Let's secure this obstacle, and then we'll work out who we can trust...we can't- we can't afford to trust anyone. There's still too much we don't know..."

"What was that?" Tommy suddenly asked up, his head flicking behind them.

Kimberly could feel herself holding her breath. Damn it, she didn't think her body could handle any more nasty surprises.

"What was what?"

"I can hear something," he confirmed, before he turned around and slowly stalked across the wide hall. The rest of them watched as he took a few steps and then stopped; and then he took another. "I can definitely hear something," he said again.

Jason brushed past Kimberly. "What do you think you can hear?" he asked, as he followed him.

Tommy stopped suddenly again. "I can hear someone talking," he murmured.

Rocky perked up. "I can hear it, too," he agreed. "I think it's coming from over-."

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

Kimberly shrieked, and they all spun around. Rocky started for the banging and they all chased after him, pulling up short as a raspy voice suddenly sounded clear as day:

"I'm in here! Please!"

Kimberly frowned, as Tommy dodged in front of Rocky and put his ear up to a windowless door.

"Who's in there?" Tommy asked.

There was no reply at first, and they all exchanged dubious looks.

"Are you there, can you hear me?" Tommy asked again.

"Yes, I'm in here! My name is Agent Robert Johns..."

--

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

_**Teaser for Chapter 22 "Whispers in Parting":**_

Rocky waited for Jason to argue her point, to fight off the seven sets of eyes now resting on him questionably, but instead the original leader remained silent, looking up at Tommy with defeat.

Tommy's face fell.


	22. Whispers in Parting

**Existence**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 22 – Whispers in Parting**

_A/N- Thanks for reviewing, I really do appreciate it!! I'm aiming to have the story up and completed by the end of February (fingers crossed)._**  
**

* * *

_**An Unmarked Building, California USA**_

"Who is it?"

"Agent Robert Johns, the current person-in-charge of the Intergalactic Bureau of Investigation..."

"Bring him in."

Robert Johns offered a courteous nod to the man, before he quickly adjusted his tie and strolled confidently through the entrance, pulling up gently as the older man locked onto him with a steeled gaze.

"Good Afternoon, Mr. President," Johns greeted, stepping forward with an extended hand. "I am very grateful that you had an opportunity to meet with me."

President Gerald Holsworthy clasped his hand and shook it abruptly before he pulled back and motioned for Johns to take a seat.

"What is happening as we speak in California right now, Agent Johns?"

Johns moved more comfortably in the chair. "Angel Grove is under attack, Mr. President, by varying species of dangerous extraterrestrials," he responded.

"Are these the same extraterrestrials that were responsible for the attacks in the mid 1990's? I've received various reports indicating that these creatures are considerably deadlier..." the president looked up from his desk. "How many casualties are we dealing with?"

"I am unable to confirm any numerical figures at this point of time, however the IBI has dispatched all available officers to key areas of concern to assist with eliminating these monsters...I am confident that with time, we will have the situation under control."

Johns paused and watched as a well dressed man approached the president and knelt toward the older man, whispering away in his ear. The distraction was good and welcomed at a time where he had his work more than cut out for him if he was going to convince the president of the United States that he was the required power figure here.

If only they all knew; knew just how much Johns really knew about the attacks. About the mutants. About the whole damn situation. But alas for them, they would never know any of it, not even over his dead body...

Agent Johns felt the corner of his lips twist up at the thought.

* * *

Tommy was rendered speechless at the name breathed from the other side of the steel door. 

_Agent Robert Johns..._

All he could think of was _NO_; that it was impossible because the murderous mastermind chose death at the hands of mutated clones, over owning up to the ranger conspiracy. They had all heard his agonizing regrets hollered over the swarming sound of Goldar clones seemingly eating him alive.

But then it hit him.

_No way...he created clones of himself, too?_

Tommy let out a sharp breath and looked at each of his teammates as they huddled tightly together and waited for him to speak up again.

He swallowed. "Who's in there?" Tommy asked again, not trusting his own mind anymore or what he was hearing.

"My name is Agent Robert Johns...I know who you are, and I am telling you that I am the real Robert Johns-."

Tommy scoffed loudly- the sound just poured out of his mouth with pure disgust. "Like your word means a whole of a lot right now."

"If you're the real Robert Johns, then why are you locked up here?" Billy quizzed.

_I preferred the son-of-a-bitch dead..._

"The others, they are clones," the man's voice pleaded. "I am not a clone."

"Well, I'm thinking there isn't anyone here who more deserves to be locked up like an animal. You created this-."

"It was them!" Agent John's voice viciously exclaimed. Another moment of silence, before a calmer tone confessed, "I admit that I created him, but it was purely for the purpose of creating the most effective clones of the power rangers as I possibly could...I don't know what went wrong...my clone had a ravenous strength that I couldn't have predicted and he overpowered me- locked me away where he couldn't be stopped."

Tommy frowned, and looked down at his friends as they all huddled tighter together.

"Who was responsible for all of this, then?" Tommy asked him, unable to tame the chip in his tone. "You said 'they'...who is they?"

Silence for a moment. "There are three clones of myself that I know of...the original clone I created was strong willing, but he didn't display the manic tendency's that were seemingly inbuilt in the clones that he created of himself- cells, memories, bodies mutated. They were responsible for bringing back to life your enemies...I couldn't have prevented it if I tried..."

Tommy released a sharp, staggered breath.

"You could have left the job to the experts, instead of sticking your fucking noses where they didn't belong," Rocky muttered in disgust. "That might have gone somewhere towards not putting the planet back in danger again."

"Why are all the clones so faded and sick looking?" Kimberly's words came out loudly, but muted at the end, as she licked her lips.

Tommy turned his attention back to the door as Johns replied lowly. "The cloning project was a success on the original copies, I will give you that much. You were all a greater accomplishment then you dare to realize..." he seemed to laugh, almost as though forgetting he were talking.

"He's a fucking loony-toon," Rocky let out bitterly, feebly whacking the door with his hand. "Isn't it good to know the safety of the American public lies in such capable hands..."

"He's most likely suffered physiological harm after being confined for such an extended period of time," Adam observed.

Jason fidgeted beside Tommy, before he he rested his own hand against the door and spoke up loudly. "You didn't tell us why the clones all look like this."

"Faded? Psychotic? Sick? Try taking something and remolding it, before taking a little bit from the new creation, to create something else...every consecutive replication was less stable and less human. There is...nothing...human about them..."

"I wanna know why they pulled apart the Command Center and where Zordon is," Aisha whispered up behind Rocky and they all nodded numbly.

"Why did the IBI pull apart our headquarters?" Tommy asked, his voice tripping over the words. Images pulsated behind his eyes. Zordon. It's all he could see.

"Why didn't you tell the world your identities?" Johns quickly countered.

Tommy pulled a face. He was losing his patience. "I tell you what- I'm gonna step away from this door and look for a key and when I find it, I'm gonna unlock this door that you're cowering behind and I am gonna kill you," he warned evenly.

"Tommy..." Katherine sounded softly, but they all looked up as the orange lights above flickered and a lowly, mechanical noise was heard crunching in the distance.

"What was that?" Kimberly whispered.

"The facility has a timed, automatic lock down function in place...On the building report it states it was built to be used in the event of a fire, to preserve all that's inside," Johns explained. "But it also works in the opposite manner."

Tommy's forehead creased. "What happens in a lock down?"

"It's supposed to be a safety mechanism," Billy responded knowingly.

"It will lock everything and everyone inside...it's what He wants. Then it will buy him enough time for this all to be lost forever- no one will ever know the truth," the agent's voice was numb.

Tommy cursed under his breath and licked his lips. "We've got to get out of here and stop it...Billy, where do we go?"

The blue ranger's eyes were strained. "I don't," he shook his head and then seemed to regain himself once more. "Perhaps if we find the main electricity box for the facility, we might have a way of stopping the lock down. But there's a substantial possibility that the mechanism is controlled by a more advanced function-."

Tommy nodded swiftly. "Let's do it," he stated, brushing past them all and starting for the exit out of the room.

"Tommy?" Kimberly called out and he stopped, sighing heavily.

He looked over his shoulder and watched as his former girlfriend motioned to the door silently.

_Fuck him..._ "He stays there," Tommy ordered them, looking down at the ground. "He should consider himself lucky," was all he added, before he turned around and continued off, fighting away any lingering guilt.

* * *

Questions couldn't be distinguished from one and other, and it was beginning to annoy him as he tried to discreetly as possible to swat the endless selection of microphones from his face. He was certain there was a camera honing on him from every angle so he resisted verbalizing his frustration, if only finding enough tact to smile closed lip and pretend like he didn't mean to push them away. 

"Up this way, Agent Johns," one of the uniformed men reached for his shoulder, and guided him toward the stairs.

Cameras flashed in seeming unison. Every God-damned news channel in the country was there plus more.

Johns reached the top of the podium and resisted a cheesy grin, instead giving them all what they wanted- the grim expression of a man in power who knew they were all nearly fucked, but not completely. He was the man who would save the day.

Resting his chin near the microphone, he cleared his voice. "The current situation in Angel Grove and surrounding area is grim and indeed unexpected and tragic, but the Intergalactic Bureau of Investigation has responded to the immediate threat and I am pleased to assure all Americans that we should have this situation under control as soon as practicable," he looked in the distance.

Damn it, he hated press conferences. Bloody leeches wanted their show and tell time, didn't they?

"I uh-...I welcome any questions you may have," he added reluctantly, watching as a well known female news anchor raised her hand sharply in the air.

"Agent Johns, can you please confirm that it is indeed extraterrestrials launching an attack on the city of Angel Grove?"

Johns nodded promptly. "Yes, as reported they are indeed extraterrestrials."

"Where did these creatures come from? Witnesses have reported sightings of these aliens as far away as the north-eastern outskirts and no one has reported any air sightings or witnessed the use of any space craft," another reporter succinctly asked.

"Uh, we have been unable to ascertain where they originated from at this time," he brushed the questions off as simply as possible.

A male reporter stood up and waved his hand in the air. "In his earlier national statement, President Holsworthy indicated that these monsters are the same aliens that were responsible for the attacks in the mid-1990's; how is this possible, after footage released by the power rangers in 1997 showed the destruction of the so-called 'Zedd Empire'?"

"And where on earth are the power rangers?" a woman beside him promptly asked.

Johns almost laughed nervously. Almost. He hoped his twisted smile didn't surface. _Where are the power rangers? I'll tell you where the power rangers are...they're dead...and as for their 'successors', they're also dead and if they're not, they will be soon..._

"Our facility has been unable to locate any sightings of the power rangers since 1997," Johns responded. "It is our belief that they have severed all ties with both the city of Angel Grove and indeed the planet as a whole."

He watched their faces fall. More hands quickly shot into the air, but Johns rolled his eyes inwardly. "That will be all, folks, I apologize but I must be elsewhere," he quickly announced, before turning around and skipping down the stairs of the podium.

He could hear their protests and objections, but quickly moved for cover, ensuring that no one was following. God knew he was close. So very close. They all were.

"That was a close one," the other man commented, running a quick hand over his hair.

Johns smiled at his own image- his own clone- and reached into his pocket, handing the other man a key.

"Take my car from around the back and get back to the facility the quickest God-damned way you can find, without drawing attention to yourself," Johns told his clone. "In the trunk you'll find a fire torch. From the timer on my watch, lock down should have been initiated by the time you get there. I want you to use that torch to set fire to all of the main exits and make sure that you get all of them...we can't have any of them escape the facility."

His clone bounced the key off his palm a little. "What if they've somehow managed to locate the power?"

John's eyes darkened. The thought had crossed his mind, but still, he refused to indulge it. "They won't find it...I'm sure the mutants have taken care of the clones, anyhow...and the remaining two originals, they'll be bled out before the sun sets today and that will be the end of them...I don't care what you have to do, but you kill every single one of them and destroy the evidence...no one can ever know."

* * *

They probably could have walked quicker than the speed of their clumsy running and logically, they were fools to be pushing their depleted energy stores, but that didn't stop them all from rushing through the darkness with little sense of direction. Even Rocky himself, didn't have much common sense left. 

They all wanted to live, right?

They all wanted to get out of the facility and return to their normal lives and catch up again for whoevers birthday it was next. They could talk about this funny little period of time they'd spent together and maybe even laugh about it. Right?

Yep, Rocky was definitely going through the motions, but he wasn't laughing about it. He wasn't even trying to be brave about it anymore. Every time his feet touched the ground, he would grimace loudly. They were all doing it.

Tommy should have unquestionably verbalized permission that it was okay for them to stop. That they didn't have to keep on running if it meant the difference between finding their way through the maze and collapsing in a heap. Katherine's breathing was staggered and she looked weak. Jason was trying to stay to the back, but even then Rocky could hear just how uneven his gait was. Everyone was God-damned dying.

And to make matters worse, they were lost.

Rocky's head was pounding, but he quickened his legs a little before settling beside Tommy. He tried to catch Tommy's attention with his eyes, but it was pointless. All that anger burning in the former white ranger's eyes was far too distracting.

"You made the right choice back there," Rocky offered in a low voice.

Tommy remained silent, his pace slowing slightly.

"He deserves to die for what he did," Rocky continued.

"Maybe I do, too..."

Rocky frowned and went to respond quickly, but he struggled to speak over his heavy breathing. "We didn't choose this, man," he finally got out, his stride wavering a little.

"Guys?"

Rocky stopped and grabbed onto Tommy, pulling him to a halt, before turning around. Kimberly's hand was running circles over Jason's hunched over back, her eyes looking to Rocky with an unhidden fear.

Tommy sighed and moved for his best friend, his face softening. "What's wrong?"

"I don't think we can run anymore," Kimberly admitted, her voice cracking. "Jason's weak."

"I'm fine-."

Kimberly sighed exasperatedly. "You practically passed out just a moment ago," she argued. "Something's wrong with him."

Rocky waited for Jason to argue her point, to fight off the seven sets of eyes now resting on him questionably, but instead the original leader remained silent, looking up at Tommy with defeat.

Tommy's face fell. "We're running out of time," he reminded him quietly. He looked at Kimberly as though searching her eyes for the magical solution.

"Does anybody know where we are?" Aisha asked them all quietly.

Rocky rolled his tongue in his mouth. "All these tunnels look the same..."

Tommy looked to the floor, before he looked back up. "We're not going to have enough time...Jason, do you think that you and Kim can manage to find your way back to the hatch beneath the infirmary and find Trini?"

Kimberly and Jason looked at each other.

"Shouldn't we stay together?" Katherine questioned.

Tommy nodded. "Normally, yes; but if Jason and Kimberly go for Trini now, it means the rest of us can head directly to stop the facility from locking down," he explained to them all.

Jason straightened up. "Are you sure about this bro?"

"Stay together," Tommy told him, motioning to Kimberly. "Wait in the infirmary and we'll come for you as soon as we've stopped the lock down."

Kimberly nodded obediently, before she moved for Tommy and took his hand. "Be careful..." she mouthed to him.

Tommy squeezed her hand back and Rocky turned away. He didn't want to invade the moment, whatever it was and whatever it meant.

"We'll see you soon," Tommy promised loudly, before he pulled away and motioned to the others to follow him, leaving two of their own in the darkness behind them.

--

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

_**Teaser for Chapter 23 "Hearing Voices":**_

"Kim, you need to-." he stopped, rubbing her back harder as she stared to cough uncontrollably. "Kim, take a deep breath, come on; just breathe."

But her coughing fit deepened, and her body became limp.


	23. Hearing Voices

**Existence**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 23 – Hearing Voices**

_A/N - Thanks for the reviews, I've tried to personally say thanks to all of you because I really do appreciate it. For those of you who've reviewed anonymously, thanks to you also._

* * *

Jason was struggling to keep up with Kimberly, as they pushed their bare feet through the chilled water in what he knew of as the main underground tunnel. Every once in a while he considered stopping, even just to momentarily catch his breath, but he could sense Kimberly's own wavering strength and knew it wouldn't be long before a rest period would be forced upon them both. 

They passed through a period of almost complete darkness, before a wash of yellow light shone the ghastly path for them once more. The changes in light and the slow, gradual slant of the tunnel's cocoon were starting to make Jason dizzy and he was too slow to respond as he watched Kimberly drop like a stone to the ground.

She cried out, limbs sprawled and Jason quickened to her side, carefully dropping down beside her.

"You okay?" he asked her, as he tried to reach under her arms and lift her up.

She nodded weakly, but motioned to him to stop as she settled into a seated position.

"This tunnel feels like it's going on forever," she murmured disheartedly. She ran a hand over her face. "I'm feeling really sick, Jase."

He swallowed heavily, trying his best to shield his weary eyes from her view. "It's gonna be okay, Kim," he told her, rubbing her shoulder. "As soon as we find the hatch door to upstairs, I'll find you some water."

Kimberly nodded her head weakly, before her whole body abruptly spasmed and hunched over, her body rocking. Jason straightened himself up and grabbed her hair, rubbing her back with his free hand while she struggled to control her body's attempt to empty her famished stomach.

"Kim, you need to-." he stopped, rubbing her back harder as she stared to cough uncontrollably. "Kim, take a deep breath, come on; just breathe."

But her coughing fit deepened, and her body became limp. Jason cursed and awkwardly jerked her back up, shaking her slightly until she began to wheeze and her eyes rested groggily on him.

"Shhh..." he scooped some of the dirty water from the ground and ran it over her forehead; her cheeks. "Just breathe..."

Her lips parted slightly with sharp but soft breaths loud enough for Jason to hear.

"I'm sorry," she breathed.

He sighed, and took her into his arms for a brief moment, before he pulled back and studied her carefully.

"You okay, now?"

She nodded. He could see the dim light glistening off the tears in her eyes. "Jason, I'm really scared," she shared weakly. "I've never felt this way before."

Jason could feel his own stomach twist with Kimberly's admission. They were both past starving, dehydrated and sleep deprived. What he was seeing in Kimberly's eyes and hearing in her voice was what he felt was transpiring within him, but he was honestly so doubtful in his own mind's credibility that he swore they were both hallucinating.

She tried to smile and it broke his heart.

"I don't want to die down here," she told him.

He shook his head, and grabbed her shoulders. "Nobody else is dying for this, okay? We have come too far...we can do this together, I won't leave you again, okay? But we need to try and find the infirmary and reach Trini," he paused, his heart sinking a little as her eyes seemed so distant. "Okay?" he pushed her again.

She finally nodded and extended her hands, before they helped each other up, leveraging their weights in different directions until they stumbled to standing. Kimberly continued to cling to his body until she let out a soft, controlled breath.

"I'm glad we had this break," she murmured looking up at him. Her eyes faltered slightly however and she stepped back, reaching up with her hand for his face.

"What?" he asked her.

"Your eyes," she whispered. "They look really blood shot..."

Jason shook his head gently free. "I'm just tired," he assured her. "I'll be fine-." the words caught in his throat and he turned his head around to spit the dry, metallic tasting saliva from his mouth.

Kimberly followed his movements, not leaving him. "Jase, you're bleeding from the mouth," she observed. "You don't look well at all."

He rubbed the bloodied saliva from his lip and rested his hand on her shoulder, out of support for her and support for himself. "I got hit real hard back there, that's all...one of the Goldar clones got me right in the stomach," he explained.

Kimberly's gaze quivered. "Are you sure?" she asked him her expression struggling to fend of her doubt.

He nodded. "I'm sure...come on, let's take our time and see if we can find this hatch door, it must be somewhere near here."

He motioned with an extended hand and they both began taking tentative steps forward. Jason felt as though the wet ground beneath him was slowly sloping, as though he had been caught in a strange vortex in slow motion. Was he swaying?

"Have you thought about what we are going to do when we get out of here?" Kimberly's voice caught his drifting attention. "They think you and I murdered those government officials and those police officers."

Jason honestly couldn't think that far ahead. He was sinking; he was struggling to be the strong one here and all he could conjure up was a reply of "I don't know, Kim...but for now, let's just find Trini and we'll sort all of that out then."

* * *

"Guys; let's try up this one." 

Adam turned around mid-step and spotted Tommy through the shadows, resting against another tight, circular exit from what felt like the twentieth tunnel they had wondered through on search for an exit above ground.

"Don't you think we should continue through to the very end of this one first?" Aisha questioned.

"I think I can see some light at the end of this one," Tommy explained. "Come on; let's check it out."

Adam sighed privately and guided Aisha in front of him with an extended arm, following the rest of the group as they squeezed into the new tunnel one at a time. The cold concrete was slick with the same moisture found in the large tunnel behind them, and Adam struggled to grip the bottom of it with his feet.

"Whoa!" Aisha let out, as she awkwardly slipped in front of him, falling clumsily against the tunnels walls.

"Are you guys okay back there?" Tommy called back to them.

Adam carefully dropped down on all fours and attended to his fallen friend who seemed to scowl under her breath.

"You didn't hurt yourself, did you?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "No..." she winced, and he helped her move to a more comfortable position.

"The condensation is making the tunnel's surface unbearably slippery," Billy told them from in front of Aisha. "You might find it easier to move on your hands and knees."

Adam waited patiently for Aisha to start moving forward, before he gingerly started after her. He had never considered himself to be claustrophobic, but the thick smell and stifling air around him would have become too much had the growing circle of light ahead not enticed him to continue. He could see the others reach the end up ahead and he prayed with everything inside of him that they had found a way out.

As Aisha reached the end of the tunnel, Adam noticed it dropped out into a large passage way and he waited while Billy helped her out before he slipped out after her.

The light stung his eyes.

"Guys! Up here!"

Adam jerked his head abruptly and grabbed onto Aisha, pulling her along as they began up the wide, brightly lit corridor. They slowed as they reached the others bunched at the end in front of a door, but Adam's spirits immediately plummeted as Tommy turned around to face them.

"It's locked," he admitted despondently.

Rocky sighed, pursing his lips. "Great; another dead end."

"How much time do we have before the facility goes into lock down mode?" Katherine asked, looking at Billy.

"Uh, about enough time to kiss our asses goodbye I imagine," Rocky commented, clearly frustrated.

"Let me take a look at it," Billy suggested, as he pushed passed Rocky and Katherine and stopped in front of a strange keypad built into the wall beside the door.

No locks; no keys. The door was locked all right; you just needed to know the combination to get inside.

Adam slumped against the wall as he listened to Billy's random prodding of the numbers chirp incessantly, echoing and bouncing around the hall. The light was strangely disturbing to Adam. The clarity of his teammates' deteriorating health was so strong. Everyone was wet; limbs were shaking and covered in scrapes, clothing torn, hair disheveled and heads and torsos held on awkward angles.

The others probably hadn't given it much thought, but all of Adam's training told him that they were pushing barriers exceeding the norm. At the very least, they needed to secure fresh water. It seemed like a rather trivial thing, but Adam hadn't even needed to urinate for what felt like a couple of days. And how many days had it been since any of them had actually slept? What if delusions were already setting behind their skulls and they didn't even know it? How long could they push on, before someone dropped to the ground and actually couldn't take another step?

His stomach seemed to scream with his reflections and he couldn't hold his head straight any longer, his eyes falling solemnly to the ground. He stared at the water that still sat his feet and unconsciously rolled his tongue in mouth, but it just stuck to the dry, burning walls of his mouth. He was only seconds away from crouching to the dirty water and running his tongue along the floor for some kind of disgusted relief.

"Are you hurt?" Aisha asked and Adam watched as she settled her soaking form against the wall beside him.

He shook his head. "I was just thinking," he admitted, keeping his voice at a whisper. "I'm worried about how far we can push on before someone breaks."

Aisha shuffled up against him, and it was only then that he noticed all the parched blood hiding under the mess of her bangs. At least it was the color of red, and while the skin of her face appeared dry, it still had Aisha's healthy olive color. Hopefully that meant that Adam didn't need to worry in the back of his mind about any so-called fatal effects from their powers- but with Jason and Kimberly separated from the group now, he also had lost any opportunity he had to keep a close observation on all of them.

There were still questions. The extent of the cloning project and it's ramifications on each of them was still so unclear.

Tommy cursed from beside Billy, knocking his fist slightly on the door in frustration.

"How many combinations have you tried?" Rocky asked Billy.

The blue ranger kept his back to the group. "I don't know," he admitted.

Adam was growing frustrated, not with his friends, but hell, he was tired. "There's too many combinations to possibly try, especially without following some kind of pattern of trial and error- maybe we shouldn't waste what time we have on a door that might just lead to another dead end."

"I agree with Adam," Aisha quickly followed him up with a dismal breath.

Tommy looked at them and slowly nodded. The defeat was written all over his face and they all felt it. Another blow. And now that they were all nestled together, feeling deludingly warm and safe in actual lighting, it was becoming increasingly clear that everyone had slowed down. Panic had been exchanged for frustration; urgency had been swapped over for hopelessness. How wonderful it would be if they could all just sit down, go to sleep and forget about everything...

"We really have to get moving," Rocky tried his best to sound encouraging. "Kim, Jason and Trini are counting on us, too."

"I can't move," Aisha admitted, and Adam watched as her beautiful face twisted and fell, wrinkling beneath a release of anguish.

"Where are you hurting?" Adam asked her, moving opposite her and lowering his face to her level.

She avoided him at first, sniffling loudly. "It's nothing...please, I just..." her lips moved terribly uncomfortably.

Adam reached for the bottom of her blouse and pulled loose one of the pearl-colored buttons. "Here," he moved it to her mouth, "As strange as it seems, sucking on this button will help stimulate your salivary glands..."

She frowned doubtfully, but was too weak to resist and he pushed it gently into her mouth, before looking over at the others. "You all might want to do the same...I can't begin to tell you how dangerous it is to go this long without anything to drink," he told them. "If we don't get any water within the next twelve hours or so, no one is going to be going anywhere."

He looked back at Aisha. "Are you going to be fine to walk?" he asked her.

She nodded and moved away from the wall. "I'll be okay...thanks."

"Let's go back to the main tunnel," Rocky suggested, as he walked past them and slowly started back down the hall.

Adam guided Aisha along and heard more footsteps start up behind him. He slowed somewhat and let Katherine pass, waiting for Billy to catch up to his side. No one was walking with particular urgency in their stride, but at least they were still moving. Everyone was quiet. There was no sound, except for their aloof steps crawling over the moist ground below-.

Tommy's sudden yell from behind startled them all; it was an outburst, not an exclamation of anything in particular and by the time Adam had managed to spin around, he realized their leader was still all the way down the hall near the door.

Adam had to blink over and over. Tommy's body was unnaturally stiff, strange light and what appeared to be robotic arms rushing down from the roof above him, but from the distance, Adam had no idea how.

Rocky pushed past him and began sprinting for the former white ranger, before Adam followed suit.

"Tommy!" Katherine called out from behind.

There you saw him, next he was gone - Adam came to a stop and could only watch in disbelief as from one second to the next Tommy's body seemingly morphed from rags to armor right before their very eyes.

* * *

Maybe it was a strange hallucinogen, or even worse, maybe he'd passed out without realizing it and was drifting off in some wondrous dreamland...a place where he felt his body become alive again, like he hadn't felt it for so long. Where the power dripped through his veins methodically, rhythmically; where he was unbreakable. 

Maybe it wasn't the worst possible place to be. His body felt great. He felt alive! Maybe it was a lucid dream, because it felt too controlled, too real. There was no other explanation as to how he found himself back in a ranger uniform at this moment, the sounds of his teammates voices fluttering about nearby.

A voice spoke into his ear. His vision focused.

"Holy crap..."

"Tommy?"

Tommy squinted his eyes behind the visor, noticing a face press up against it. "Tommy? What happened?"

Tommy scrambled his hands to the helmet enveloped around his head and he fumbled for the usual pair of clips, but he couldn't find them. Grunting loudly, he started to squirm, settling only as he felt another set of hands reach behind him and gently un-clip the helmet from his head.

Nope, he definitely was not dreaming.

"How did you morph like that?" Aisha gasped, eyes open unbelievably wide.

Billy moved beside Tommy and he spun around, watching as the former blue ranger scoured the ceiling with a careful eye. "It came out of the roof," he murmured to himself.

Katherine stepped up to Tommy, running a hand over his metallic-plated arm. "I don't understand, Billy, I thought you needed a power coin to morph?" she asked, looking up at Tommy.

Billy turned around, seemingly lost in an electric hypnosis. "This is unbelievable..." he looked at them all, before staring at Tommy and shaking his head. "If my suspicions are correct, than this uniform appears to be based almost entirely on nanotechology, like I've never even imagined possible..."

Rocky scrunched his face. "What does that mean?"

Billy paused, quickly inspecting Tommy's helmet. "Nanotechology is the science of developing materials- machines - at the atomic and molecular level in order to imbue them with special electrical and chemical properties...Tommy; tell me how you're feeling right now, in this suit-."

"I feel..." Tommy couldn't believe it, his brain wasn't keeping up now. "I feel unbelievable...strong- it's like, my whole body is rejuvenated as I stand here."

Billy smiled- actually smiled. "In the case of this manufactured armor, I believe that we are looking at this very technology in the form of extraordinarily tiny computers that are powerful beyond comprehension. I've studied all the basic fundamentals- apply these nano machines to building materials and you have a structure that can withstand earthquakes- build them into a ranger uniform and the possibilities are endless- increased muscular strength and the elimination of long term injuries, because repairs can be made from within the body."

"Are you saying that the government has been trying to create its own ranger technology?" Adam questioned.

Billy nodded, but then licked his lips, a strange glint suddenly flickering in his eyes. "I had been working on it myself...I believe my father was working on this...I-."

Tommy released a breath, managing to clasp Billy's shoulder in between his gloved hand.

"Do you think it's possible that the IBI found and used your research to build of this?" Katherine asked him.

Billy nodded. "I don't think it's a possibility, Katherine, I think it's a certainty- I found plans from my private work back in that run-down laboratory...this suit that Tommy's wearing- I designed it and its concept myself."

"I think it's amazing," Katherine released breathlessly. "The uniform is extraordinary...it's like nothing we've ever seen before."

Tommy looked down at himself. The skin over his cheeks felt tight- his muscles were spasming beneath the silky material encasing them. He could remember the feeling of his old ranger uniform; remember the way it felt like cloth inside. This uniform looked so hard and was molded so tightly around him that had Tommy been looking at himself from the outside, he would have wondered if one would even be able to move in it. But practicality wasn't even a consideration, it was simply to be granted.

"Here, put this back on," Billy extended the helmet back to him, and Tommy took it, pulling it back over his head.

Rocky or Adam said something, but Tommy didn't hear them. He was instead looking at his arm- just looking at it.

And he swore it God-damned moved on its own.

_How can this be possible?_

What was that monotone sound droning in his ears again?

Tommy shook his head heavily, surprising himself at how much his body swayed with such basic movement. It was then that he noticed his teammates were no longer focused on him, and were instead paying heavy attention to the ceiling and the door.

"I entered my identification code into the keypad," Tommy suddenly admitted, as he watched Billy crouch nearby. "The code on my head...then something came over me and all of a sudden I was morphed."

"Adam, you should try it," Rocky coaxed his old friend.

Adam seemed to hesitate. "Okay...but you guys should move out of the way..."

Tommy stepped back and watched intensely as his room mate moved to enter his identification code into the mystery keypad. As he typed in the very last digit, the ceiling flew open above and robotic arms grabbed hold of him, slapping pieces of armor over his entire body with an unbelievable speed until suddenly, the chaotic happenings diminished abruptly.

And before them stood a modified black ranger like never before seen.

"Whoa..." Rocky slowly approached Adam, moving his hand to touch his uniform. "That was the most awesome shit I've ever seen."

"Your uniform is black, Adam," Aisha noted. "And Tommy's is white-."

"It's all been programmed," Billy cut her off, seemingly unintentionally.

Tommy stepped back, flinching awkwardly as he heard a strange buzz in his ears again.

"Did you just hear that?" Adam asked him.

"Yeah..." Tommy wasn't sure what it was.

"I think my helmet is speaking to me," Adam stated.

Rocky frowned. "What do you mean?"

Adam shuffled uncomfortably. "I don't know, it's like some kind of inbuilt guidance...I think it's telling me that we need to respond to a level one threat."

"Oh my gosh, look guys- the door is open," Aisha suddenly noticed, flinging out a hand.

Tommy spun around and couldn't believe it- the thick, seemingly unachievable hurdle was now resting ajar like an unbelievable savior. Adam moved for the door and Tommy let the others through first, but stopped suddenly as he heard the voice filter through his ears again.

This time it was clearer. Oh God.

"Wait-." Tommy grabbed his helmet in his gloved hand. "Adam, listen to the voice."

Adam turned around, half way through the door. "What's wrong?"

"I know who the voice is...It sounds like Zordon."

--

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

**Teaser for Chapter 24 "Empowered":**

She'd never seen anything like it, not even during her years as a ranger. Did he even notice how much he was scaring the living shit out of her right now?

"Jason…what-." She stopped.

_A/N- More answers coming your way soon...next chapter should be up in a few days. Thanks for the reviews and comments!  
_


	24. Empowered

**Existence**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 24 – Empowered**

_A/N - Thanks for the reviews, always appreciate them! There's about eight or so chapters still to go up from here, so still a little while for this story to resolve itself. I hope to get the next chapter up in a few days, have a great weekend (I'm sure going to try and have one!)_

* * *

Kimberly gazed up at the dark metal plate above her. It was only maybe three-four feet above her head, but the longer she stared at it; the more she screamed at it- the further away freedom felt. 

"Hello?" she called out. "Trini? Can somebody help us?"

Silence.

Kimberly stood on her tiptoes. She could feel her muscles tighten and pull, but she grunted through it and and extended her arm as far as she could. She jumped once, twice, three times-.

She threw her arms down and angrily kicked the tunnel's wall, before she spun around in a near fluster.

"Jason," she huffed. "You are going to have to give me a boost..." she rested her hands on her hips and swallowed heavily, waiting for his response.

She sighed. "Jason?" she frowned slightly and stepped forward, her frown deepening as she realized how unnaturally his body was resting against the tunnel's wall.

Kimberly reached out with her hand and touched his arm, almost flinching as she felt the cold sweat dampen her finger tips.

"Jason, you're freezing," she told him, grabbing him by the shoulder. "Jason, what's wrong, why aren't you saying anything-."

She gasped as he suddenly hunched forward and grabbed onto his chest, using his free hand to clasp onto her shoulder for support.

"Jason?" she raised her voice in panic.

He began to murmur incoherently. Kimberly grabbed his face to steady his head, as a loud mechanical bang sounded in the distance, chiming like a death bell and echoing through the main tunnel.

"Oh God," Kimberly murmured with dread. "That's probably the escape doors locking down..."

She looked back at Jason, before light swiftly flooded in from above them, scaring Kimberly enough to make her scream out. A head dropped down from the opening above, his familiar face studying them both with a strange curiosity.

"Tom-." Kimberly stopped herself quickly, realizing immediately that it was nothing more than a clone. "Can you help us up?"

The clone remained motionless, as though it not only didn't comprehend her request, but it didn't even hear the sound of her voice.

Kimberly stretched her arms high above her head and looked up at the face she knew so well. "See my arms?" She shook them about a bit.

It tilted its head and Kimberly shook them again with more fervor, before it shuffled its body forward and seemed to effortlessly drop its lower body through the hole. Kimberly could only watch momentarily mesmerized, as the clone grasped her arms and lifted her body through the opening.

The light felt uncomfortable, but oh so good on Kimberly's face.

She shuffled around quickly and looked back down through the hole, relieved to find Jason standing straighter and meeting her eyes. Kimberly sighed and flinched a little as the clone crawled beside her. She shuffled out of the way and watched as the clone reached down to pull on Jason, overwhelming Kimberly once again with his display of brute strength.

The clone rested Jason's body on his back. Kimberly stared around the room that should have been familiar, and yet was now beyond even a sliver of recognition. Flashbacks battered behind her eyes as she remembered the circumstances in which they had fled the infirmary to escape down underground- the way they had been ambushed by mutant putties with nowhere to go.

Did they really cause all of this?

Kimberly looked down as she felt Jason's hand brush her own.

Oh, God.

The light from above brought to light the consequences from the dark below. The whites of Jason's eyes were red, their pupils dilated so much so that there was barely a ring of brown around them; His skin was cold to touch, yet sweltered with a thick layer of sweat, and his face was contorted, twisted uncomfortably as though he wasn't even trying to hide his pain from her.

She'd never seen anything like it, not even during her years as a ranger. Did he even notice how much he was scaring the living shit out of her right now?

"Jason…what-." She stopped.

His head rolled over and he tried to look at her. "I don't know what's wrong," he croaked out miserably. Her stomach fell at the sound of his voice. "I've never felt this before."

Kimberly swallowed and rubbed her face, before she looked beside her, glancing at the clone of Tommy with a silent curiosity. Looking into those eyes, it was so unnerving. She could have sworn it was him.

"Do you uh, do you know if there are any blankets here?" she asked him, motioning quickly to Jason. "Something to keep him warm?"

Tommy's clone just stared at her, not showing a glimpse of a response. She sighed and offered him a slight smile despite herself, before looking back down on Jason.

Her hand rested ever so softly on his cheek. "I'll find something to keep you warm," she promised him.

It was too hard for her to search with any care. Every step she took, her bare feet would tense up as they brushed against jagged ends of broken metal, glass and God knows what else. She would wince and gasp, but then travel on knowing that the more she moved, the more she was cutting her feet up.

Kimberly slowed as she noticed what looked to be one of the ivory colored bed sheets sprawled messily, stuck beneath the weight of one of the collapsed infirmary beds. She knelt down and tugged on it, grunting with more stamina as it refused to pull free. She tugged again, and again, again and again before finally the dirtied material began to slip from its clasp.

With one last pull, the material flung out and floated to Kimberly's side. But she didn't notice, nor could she move, not when she realized what had been hiding beneath it. With both eyes wide, Kimberly could only stare at Trini's motionless body, a tear slipping down her cheek as she realized she was dead.

* * *

Katherine glanced around the circular shaped room, the dé ja vu so strong she could almost smell it. When she'd first cast eyes on the rangers' commanding headquarters all those years ago it had been a marvel she could have only previously imagined, yet right at this very moment she knew she was reliving that feeling all over again. 

The room was open, the ceiling so high it hurt to focus on its distance and at ground level, a sleek bench ran the perimeter much like the circular control panel of their old Command Center. Lights flickered and hummed monotonously; switch panels and countless monitors flickered in time, while indistinguishable sounds filtered through some sort of speaker system.

Katherine released a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "What is this place?" she spoke out in wonder, stopping numbly beside Aisha.

Billy immediately began to walk the perimeter of the highly technological room, his movements sporadic as he rushed between computers, his hands skimming along the control panels as though his words could not verbalize his mind.

"Tommy, Adam?" Rocky looked over his shoulder exasperatedly. "You'll never believe what's in here."

Katherine looked over at the door they'd walked through, frowning slightly as she noticed Tommy and Adam still standing out in the passageway, deep in some sort of gestured discussion.

"Guys!" Rocky called out again. "Come on, what's wrong?"

Katherine watched as Tommy and Adam finally responded to Rocky's pestering and walked through the entryway, both of the heavily armored men coming to an identical pause.

Tommy rushed to remove his helmet, Adam quickly following suit.

"They've built some kind of command center," Katherine spoke out in astonishment. "But where's-."

"Zordon," Tommy cut her off, walking quickly past them toward the control panels. "He must be here somewhere."

Billy turned from the other side of the room, staring at Tommy with a strained lack of clarity. "Tommy, there's nothing that suggests Zordon is here."

"Tommy's right," Adam quickly announced, turning to face them all. "We recognize the voice in the inbuilt guidance system- it's Zordon."

"What?" Rocky blurted out, his face twisted up. "What did you say?"

"How is that even possible, he's not even here," Aisha reasoned.

"He's here somewhere," Tommy murmured, deeply distracted as he began to play with switches and controllers. "Billy, what are these systems controlling?"

The former blue ranger was still clearly distracted by Tommy and Adam's admission, but numbly found his way to the white ranger's side as they all huddled together.

"I think that this is the genuine central hub for the project," Billy slowly explained. "The laboratory we recovered earlier was perhaps where it all began, but was abandoned as they implemented technology found in the command center, work done by myself, my father and constructed this facility...their own command center."

"Commanding what?" Aisha asked.

Billy sighed and shrugged a little. "Their own ranger team, I guess...or what they hoped would one day become their own ranger team. Maybe in some inadvertent way they began to investigate the power rangers because the government wanted to learn more about us, the technology that we used which could benefit the military. But after the battle on Seréshis they had to cover their tracks...but even if they started the cloning project for supposedly noble reasons, it didn't prevent them from taking advantage of the situation."

Katherine listened to Billy's words carefully, surprised by how all the pieces fit, yet so many questions remained. Big questions, really big ones.

"But why would they need a ranger team if there's no villains to fight?" she asked.

"The government was probably trying to create some sort of covert assault team for their own purposes," Tommy suggested. "They saw how successful we were and they wanted that very same power in their own hands to use for whatever reasons they might have."

Aisha raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "This could be one of the biggest government conspiracies in the history of the United States," she shared with disbelief. "Who knows what kind of damage any government could do in warfare with technology like this."

Billy moved his attention to one of the control panels, his fingers rushing over the keyboard which looked much like one that you would see with a regular workstation.

The monitor flickered and whirled with his input, but the picture remained unstable. "These systems seem slightly affected by the facility being on back-up power, although the fact that all these lights and systems are still powered leads me to believe that this room is being charged by a different source."

Katherine flicked a look over at Tommy, sharing a private glance before he swallowed pronouncedly. "Do you think we can stop the facility from locking down from here?" he suddenly asked Billy, his eyes lighting up.

The blue ranger matched his expression, before succumbing to deep thought. "I can try...it's very possible that one of the machines may be involved in stabilizing the facility's power."

Tommy nodded, as Billy moved on to the next control panel. "If only we could find Zordon," he whispered loudly to himself.

Katherine's shoulders fell a little. "Are you really sure it's him?" she asked him in a quiet voice.

Tommy nodded numbly. "They must have him somewhere else, but all I know is that it's his voice...but he keeps on saying the same thing over and over again-."

"Guys," Billy spoke out, looking over his shoulder and gesturing with a hand. "I think there's something you should see."

They all hurried over to him, the reason for their required attention unmissable as they focused on the smallish screen inbuilt into the console.

It was Angel Grove; Katherine recognized some of the buildings from her few years living in the city. Of course being a ranger meant the streets of the Californian city became almost mapped in the back of her mind and there wasn't really a street there she couldn't name. But on the footage before them it was all being torn apart- putties and mutants were literally everywhere, engaged in gunfire with familiar uniformed officers.

"Please tell me this isn't happening," Aisha murmured breathlessly.

Tommy cursed without sound, his face darkening. "The mutants must have gotten out of the boundary fence," he stated the obvious. Another whispered curse. "They're destroying the city," he seethed.

"Well that explains where all the assholes went to," Rocky added. "They're now trying to fight and destroy the very things that they created."

Billy moved from the group with Tommy quickly in toe, as they scoured the large room. Katherine remained with her eyes glue to the footage, thoughts immediately turning to the city she'd once called home and to her parents who still happily resided there. A smile glistened in her mind amongst her showering fear; she quickly pictured the day the news had revealed that Zedd had fallen and that Angel Grove had been freed from its slavery to weekly alien attacks.

The city would have been so horribly unprepared for this attack now. It frightened everything in her to even picture it.

A loud 'whoosh' sounded from nearby and Katherine flinched, turning to watch as two large doors slid open wide, revealing a plateau of thick stairs leading out of the control room.

A way out.

Tommy disappeared up the stairs before anyone could say anything, and Katherine meekly followed trying not to cringe at the prospect of walking up stairs with such limited strength.

She could feel the air from outside wash over her in a beautiful fury, the sound of a real breeze rustling through her tangled hair as she let Adam practically pull her up the ascent.

Tommy called out to them, fueling their steps. "Guys! Quick, I've found some sort of zord!"

"What?" Aisha gasped out, as they began to take two steps at a time, practically tripping the remainder of the way up.

And there it was, waiting for them- the exit had brought to them something truly magnificent, its magnitude only highlighted as Katherine's eyes adjusted to the uncomfortable sky above.

It looked like an aircraft modified to the extreme- its outer shell wasn't like their old zords at all, but appeared to be made out of tiny specs of black metal, as though it were flexible. Wings ran closely up its outer edges, drawing into a tight nose where a curved, tinted windscreen sat and red lights blinked at random points.

"Billy, that looks exactly like the picture you drew, the one we found in the laboratory!" Rocky exclaimed, gesturing widely.

Billy looked as though he was going to pass out from the sheer shock. "They've built it exactly to plan," he shared, his eyes and body moving about. "To scale- the same proportions, the same," he stopped, overwhelmed.

Tommy walked toward him, clutching his ranger helmet tightly under his arm. "Billy, what do you think our chances are of flying this thing out of here?" he asked him.

Katherine and Aisha looked at their ranger leader in disbelief, but Billy was anything but hesitant. "If they've completed it, then this could be our only hope of stopping the mutants from destroying the city," he enthused with determination.

"But wait- we're not morphed," Aisha hurried out, as Tommy started for the large robotic craft. "And what about Kim, Jason and Trini?" she reminded him.

Tommy turned around, waiting for them all to reach him. "We have to try this, if we don't we're seriously outnumbered against those mutants...we all know that we can't risk being in the city on foot with all of those IBI agents swarming around, we could become a bigger target than the putties...We're outside now- we'll deal with the mutants, and then we'll come straight back for the others. They'll be strong and hopefully, they should be safe."

Katherine believed Tommy's words, because he could tell how hard they were for him to speak. It wasn't a stretch to see the comparisons between this wretched time and the time of the final battle- where Tommy was forced to choose between them and the world. Did she believe he'd made the wrong choice back then? She still didn't know. But she was certain he was making the right choice now.

"Let's do it," Rocky agreed, slapping Tommy on the shoulder.

* * *

_Oh God, Trini…how can you be?…it can't be, it can't be…_

Kimberly released a labored breath, a smooth run of tears skipping off her cheekbone and falling onto the motionless hand that lay inches from hers. Like a worthless piece of rubble, Trini's lifeless body lay sprawled before her, the sight enough to bring the bile back up her already burning throat.

She scampered quickly on all fours, but got only a short distance before her head lurched forward and she felt her empty stomach heave with force. The pressure seemed to ripple, hunching her over again and again, almost causing her to choke. The movement sent an unbearable sensation of pain through her, and her eyes welled even more from it, as she dully crawled back to where she'd left her friend.

_What if it's one of them?_

It suddenly flashed in her mind and for a brief, seductive moment Kimberly suddenly considered the possibility that it wasn't the real Trini Kwan, but some manufactured version of her. She violently shoveled the scattered linen to the side, before her shoulders slumped with all the realization that could exist at that moment.

The body was dressed in Trini's clothes. They were in the room they'd left Trini in.

To die. How could they have been so thoughtless as to leave one of them behind like that?

Kimberly inhaled and squeezed her eyes closed, before she felt a cold hand gently brush the nape of her neck. As though in too much of a daze to react or too numb to care, Kimberly didn't respond and instead almost prayed that it was someone to put her out of her misery.

The hand was too soft though, and it awkwardly dropped away as his figure slumped down beside her.

Kimberly clenched her shaking jaw and looked at the clone with sad eyes. "What happened here?" she asked it, despite knowing that it couldn't respond. "Who did this?"

The clone of Tommy just stared blankly at her, his expression unwavering as Kimberly looked back at Trini and gently stroked the bangs from her face. Her skin was unnervingly flushed like a light was being shone from beneath its surface- but worst of all, her eyes were still slightly open.

Kimberly could barely breathe. She couldn't. It was too much, too much.

Why? WHY? WHY? WHY!

Why did Trini die? Why was her skin yellow? Why did they do this to them? Why?

Kimberly sobbed, her face landing somewhere in her hands. Her name trickled past her ears, calling for her but she didn't raise her chin, instead dragging her body over the uneven floor to his side.

She couldn't hide her tears from him.

"Kim...what's wrong?" Jason asked.

Kimberly sobbed loudly. "We're going to die here," she whispered miserably. "We're going to die here alone..."

--

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

_**Teaser for Chapter 25 "The Color Red":**_

"I'm not talking about that," she cut him off. She leaned forward and gently brushed her hand under his nose, before moving it before his eyes and displaying a thick streak of crimson blood across the side of her hand.

"Can't you see what's happening? You're bleeding, Jason, just like Zack-."


	25. The Color Red

**Existence**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 25 – The Color Red**

_A/N - I know I say it every chapter and that it's a common courtesy, but I really do appreciate every single review- the feedback I've been receiving has been a huge help. So thanks! _

* * *

It had been a long drive back to the IBI facility. 

He was driving faster than he should have been, but somehow felt satisfied that the usual police presence was safely tucked away in the city and surrounding suburbs. No one really drove that way, anyhow. It was a road that led to nowhere, a route followed only by perhaps the odd camping party or keen hiker.

Agent Johns turned down the volume of the radio as the news continued on and on like a broken record. Thank God he was smart and took the back roads out of town- It probably added an extra half an hour to his trip, but he would have been royally screwed if he'd tried to get across the city with the other five thousand cars trying to flee Angel Grove at the same time.

It was hard to believe it was all coming to an end, at least this part of it any way. Maybe in some strange way this whole situation was for the ultimate good of the project- maybe by eliminating so much of their mess guaranteed a stabilized longevity for what they'd been working so tirelessly for. The place was nothing more than a graveyard nowadays…the hallways reeked with constant attempts to hide evidence of slaughtered mistakes and there was only so long you could keep covering the same mess up.

It was easier to start afresh. Rip the facility apart from its very core; eradicate every stain, every reminder and every lingering question. Take care of it quickly. Kill the birds with one hell of a stone, but with caution. Care. There were only two of him left now; that much he guessed was true.

He slowed as he turned into the main arterial to the facility that winded through a camouflage of thick brush and trees. Their overhanging canopies darkened the route and he flicked on the lights of his car, steadying the vehicle as it lumbered over two motionless putty clones lying sprawled in its path. In the distance, he could see a substantially sized tear in the institution's boundary fence and it left nothing to the imagination on just how all the mutants had found their way out to freedom. What a useless idea that was, having a fence that couldn't contain what they were trying to keep in...

A large shadow suddenly flew over the car's bonnet, disappearing just as quickly over the top of him. Johns swung the driver's side door open and stumbled out of the car, the color draining from his face as he watched the magnificent form vanish into the distance.

"Fuck!" Johns snapped, slamming his palm angrily against the bonnet of his car.

How did they find it? How on earth did they find it?

He stumbled backward, colliding with the car as his mind raced and tried to catch up to the moment. He had to stop this. They were going to ruin everything now!

It was time to get rid of their power, the core of their project. It was his only option.

Moving for the trunk of his car, Johns opened it up and pulled out the fire torch his clone had left there for him. Clenching his hand tightly around it, he slammed the trunk closed and began for the facility on foot.

* * *

"I know it's probably too late to be asking you this, seeing as though we're in the air and all; but are you sure you know what you're doing?" 

Billy's eyes stayed focused, his head remaining stiff. "I'll admit I'm familiar with this intimately on paper, Rocky, but even I never imagined I would be flying my own creation," he shared.

Rocky remained crouched beside the central chair in the zord's open cockpit, watching with utter astonishment as Billy seemed to expertly navigate the mysterious flying zord through the sky en route for Angel Grove city.

By Billy's account, this was most likely to be the craft's maiden voyage; it was complete on the outside, but inside even Rocky could tell they still had the finishing touches to add, so to speak. The cockpit itself only had three chairs and that meant Katherine, Aisha and himself had been downgraded to kneeling on the floor behind their more combat-ready friends.

It made him feel _useless_.

Tommy and Adam were frequently going on about what they were hearing or seeing as part of the intrinsic sensor panels in their ranger uniforms- everything from air quality, to heat gages and target sensors. It seemed to confuse both of the men to no end, but it probably just took a lot to get used to, having all those figures and flashing lights blinking about in the visor of your helmet.

Then an alarm started whining. And then another one and then another one; then another one with a slightly duller tone.

"What's going on?" Rocky asked, looking to Billy.

Billy kept one hand plastered to the steering wheel as he used his free hand to attend to a board of blinking lights. "To be honest, I have no idea," he admitted.

Rocky kept quiet. He had visions of them all crashing to their deaths which would royally piss him off after coming through so much.

"The target sensors in my helmet are starting to flash," Adam alerted them. "The dots on the grid are accumulating at an accelerated pace."

"It must be because we're getting closer to the city," Tommy suggested. "Billy, from the grid it seems the majority of our targets are located down south in the business district, out west of the city and in the center of town...do you think you can guide us down south?"

Billy nodded. "I'll head there now," he confirmed.

Aisha crawled a little and rested beside Rocky. "How are we going to be able to navigate through the business district in this thing? Most of the roads and buildings there are so narrowly placed," she pointed out.

Rocky could have sworn Billy grinned a little. "Just as the suits Tommy and Adam are wearing are created from nanotechnology, this zord itself was constructed on the very same basis- strong, yet notably flexible. Although it may be a matter of me calculating the distances we have to work with, I should be able to instruct the zord to physically modify its contour to adhere to even the narrowest of streets."

"Wow," Rocky mouthed, looking at Aisha.

"All right guys, time to brace ourselves- I'm detecting a cluster of targets up ahead," Tommy announced.

"Tommy, you need to lock those canon lasers on the mutants when we approach a reasonable distance," Billy directed. "Rocky, Aisha and Kat; you guys need to remain low and tight, I'm predicting severe cabin movement from our attacks, given that the canons are sitting diametrically beneath the cockpit."

Rocky looked at each of his female teammates, and slowly crawled back a distance, gesturing with both of his hands for them to follow.

"How do I make sure I don't wipe out an entire neighborhood with this thing?" Rocky heard Tommy ask Billy wearily.

Billy didn't respond straight away. "Hopefully they built this to every specification I intended," was all he replied, as the zord dipped and swooped toward the ground.

* * *

Kimberly's breathless words brushed over Jason's ears, replaying over and over within his dazed and distorted conscious. 

_We're going to die here...we're going to die here alone..._

It was really beyond Jason's state to focus on Kimberly. Her words were these pained scatterings that drifted from a tiny form before him. The infirmary; the walls, ceiling, all that was in it were awash in a wonderful darkness. He tried looking to the right and then to the left, but the daze just followed.

His head hurt. He thought it did. It must have hurt.

He was so far out of it. He didn't know whether he was sitting up, lying down, or dead for that matter.

Kimberly was crying very hard now. Her words were severely slurred, her pitch rising and then breaking away before he couldn't understand her at all. He wanted her to stop! Why was she crying? Why didn't she just lie down beside him and...

"I need you," he heard her plea; felt her jiggle his hands. "I can't do this alone!"

Jason felt his head roll against his shoulder and he pried his eyelids open. No wonder he wasn't able to see anything; he had his eyes closed for God's sake.

Had he been dreaming?

Kimberly's hands cupped his face, her skin burning him with cold.

"I'm okay," he murmured aimlessly. "I'm fine."

He steadied his eyes on her and tried to smile, but she just looked back at him with so much horror in her eyes that his attempt didn't last very long.

"I thought you were dead," she finally whispered to him, before releasing a long, extended breath. "Don't you do that again."

For what it was worth he nodded. Kimberly was trying to help him up, but was failing convincingly.

"Kim, we're going to be fine," he managed, gently removing her hands from under his arms. He rested his head against the wall behind him. "I just got a major bruise on the noggin and once the others fix the electricity we'll be out of here-."

"I'm not talking about that," she cut him off. She leaned forward and gently brushed her hand under his nose, before moving it before his eyes and displaying a thick streak of crimson blood across the side of her hand.

"Can't you see what's happening? You're bleeding, Jason, just like Zack-."

She stopped short as Jason felt his throat constrict and he coughed out in a drawn, strangled manner. Sucking in air, he squeezed at his throat with his hand, before looking back at her. "That didn't happen, Kim, you know that was a cover-up. Zack was murdered, you said it yourself," he paused, clearing his throat. "Don't do this to yourself, now."

She didn't reply straight away. "You didn't see him," she finally said so softly; in a voice that wasn't hers. "They had shot him, but there was blood all over him..." her voice quivered. "It didn't look right, Jase...the blood was so dark and his skin...it was so...it looked wrong, and it..." she lowered her face into her hands. "There was nothing normal or human about what I saw."

Jason felt paralyzed and Kimberly's frenzied inconsolability was terrifying the hell out of him.

"Kimberly...Kim..."

"I just need you to listen to me-."

"I am listening," he assured her, fighting a spell of giddiness that rolled over him. "But now you need to listen to me, okay? I'm as torn up about Zack as you are and I know how bad you're hurting right now, but what you saw down in that morgue was the remains of someone who had been severely disfigured in a terrible homicide...Kim, this place was full of murderers...look at us, we're fine, we're not dying."

"There's nothing fine about your state right now, Jason!" Kimberly snapped, catching him off guard with the pure vigor in her words. "You've been getting worse and worse since they brought us here and now you're passing out on me for longer periods at a time and bleeding everywhere...you're bleeding red blood, Jase; red..."

_Red...red blood...red..._

"Kim; help me sit up," he murmured, feeling as though his concentration on her was starting to falter again.

He could feel her arms link heavily under his arms; hear her groaning and moaning brush against his ear in effort as she jerked heavily on his body. As she slipped her hands away and pressed against his shoulders, the room around him leveled out and he realized he must have been lying down the whole time before then.

He gazed around the infirmary, only then realizing the absolute destruction that surrounded them- metal, wood, sheets, so much mess just strewn around the small room. It was almost too transformed to recognize.

Where were the beds that were in there?

His eyes caught onto Kimberly, squinting heavily as he noticed the fear sweltering from her forehead and wavering out through her bottom lip.

"Where's Trini?"

Kimberly licked her lips, whispering under her breath.

"Kim?"

"She didn't make it," Kimberly locked her eyes on his. "She didn't make it."

"What do you mean she didn't make it?"

Her eyes began to wander, her face twisting and falling and he felt his insides slide with her movement.

Jason felt choked. No, it couldn't be true, it couldn't be-.

"I don't know why," Kimberly's voice cracked, jumping all over the place. "She doesn't look hurt, but she's gone, Jason, she's dead, she's dead," her sentence blurred into sobs and she collapsed against his chest, heaving uncontrollably.

Jason didn't move, as he felt his emotions reach breaking point.

* * *

Tommy could only watch as the zord approached the desired south-city avenue at a speed that was faster than comfortable and of which gave the impression that it would never have the time to downsize in order to accommodate the narrow alleyway. 

His breathing was lurid in his helmet. He almost closed his eyes, despite Billy remaining so God-damned composed beside him.

As the seconds ticked down, the zord immediately launched into what Billy had dubbed its "morphing mode" and it was a sight beyond belief, something completely out of the world they were fighting to protect. The walls around them literally folded into themselves, moving like the sound of bones being crushed and completed just in time as the zord went flying in between two multi-story buildings.

Rocky cursed uncontrollably, Katherine and Aisha both emitting a gasp at just how close they'd come.

Tommy could barely steady his hands back on the steering wheel, before Billy commenced again with his intelligible directions.

"Tommy, lock your lasers," he instructed. "I'll lower the power emission to accommodate the densely residing architecture."

Tommy was getting the hang of it now. Everything was so automated that he only had to nudge the cannon's laser guide in the general vicinity of the mutants and the zord would lock on, precisely wiping them away with a shower of ammunition.

"Tommy, hold back!" Adam suddenly stammered from Billy's other side. "There's people down there- hiding behind that car on the side of the road."

Billy immediately slowed the zord's approach.

So they knew how to kill the bastards, but how could they do it without wiping out the city with them? Already they'd managed to blow away fifty-sixty of them, but only God knew how many innocent civilians they'd taken out at the very same time.

Tommy had never contemplated about such implications until now. All those times that Zedd or Rita had forced them into zord battles so close to the city it had of course been a major consideration, but they'd never been near enough to the ground to actually see people- to be close enough to witness their fearful expressions and the doom reflected in their wide eyes.

"We can't pull back." Tommy closed his eyes. "We pull back, and those things will kill those people without any hesitation..."

"I don't want responsibility for killing them," Adam said, clearly surprising everyone with his defiant tone.

Tommy just stared at his armored friend, momentarily taken off guard; unprepared for his accusation. He was going to say something, something most likely biting, hurtful but he bit his tongue, instead grabbing the leaver before him and deliberately moving the laser off target.

"What are you doing?" Billy asked him.

"Taking care of this now," was all he replied, as he sent a deluge of bullets further up the desolate road, sending the frightened citizens and mob of mutants into a frenzy.

Tommy held his breath as the people used the gunfire as an opportunity to flee for cover and he didn't wait another moment before he swiftly repositioned the laser and sent a fiery display on target for the cloned putties.

Problem solved and taken care of. No one said anything for a minute or so and well, Tommy was just grateful he had a helmet on to cover his face.

"That was a good move, Tommy..." Adam's voice dwindled away as Billy steadied the zord forward.

Tommy felt stony, probably more sensitive than he need be and more paranoid with the ones that didn't deserve it. For once he'd _love_ to be the one who didn't have to make all the fucking decisions, the whole ethic on teamwork and blah-blah-blah was nothing short of a whole crock of shit-.

"I wasn't questioning your authority, Tommy," Adam offered, all too knowingly.

"It doesn't matter," Tommy told him, before he sighed at his own subconscious effort at torturing his close friend emotionally. "Let's just keep going, my sensors are directing my attention to a block south of town square."

"I'm heading there now," Billy confirmed swiftly.

Tommy took a moment to lower his visor somewhat, stroking it with his fingers in personal contemplation. Zordon's almost menacing, yet muffled voice was still filtering about his helmet, distracting the living hell out of him. It was starting to blur in and out, his identically spoken phrase slowly falling away to nothing.

He wanted it to just stop!

"Billy, the inbuilt voice guidance system seems to malfunctioning," Adam stated out loud.

"In what way?"

"It's fading out...I can barely hear it anymore," the black ranger explained.

Tommy listened to the voice in his head carefully. What if what he was hearing wasn't real? What if he was making it up because he wanted it so bad?

"Zordon's changing his words," Tommy stressed in a whisper. "I can hear him; listen to him closely, Adam."

_...under threat...time is...out...if...don't respond...end of all...rangers you must hear me..._

Adam flinched obviously.

"What is he saying?" Aisha asked. "I thought you said it was probably a recording?"

"It can't be a recording, the word's he's speaking are too," Tommy couldn't describe it. "He's cutting out, but he's talking about something being under threat and that we need to help or else it will be the end of everything-."

"_Tommy?"_

Tommy swallowed sharply, clutching the cockpit's dashboard as he tried to ascertain how he heard Zordon say his name.

"Did he just speak to me?" Tommy croaked out, blocking out the questions swelling from his confused teammates.

"_Tommy, you and the other rangers must stop this carnage before it is too late."_

Tommy was almost overwhelmed by emotion. "Zordon, where are you? We tried to find you and so much- I don't know how much you know."

"_Tommy, I need...the others are...extreme danger..."_

Tommy clenched his helmet. "I can't hear you, Zordon, you're breaking up!" he pleaded.

His words died.

"Damn it!" Tommy seethed, before he quickly toned down. "He's gone again!"

"Did he tell you where they hell they're keeping him?" Rocky pressured.

Tommy shook his lowered head. "He cut out- I don't know where he is."

The zord jerked roughly, breaking the conversation up momentarily.

"We have to stay focused," Tommy grabbed hold of the leavers before him. "There is too much and too many people depending on us- Adam, please focus on the target grid and alert me to the hot spots; Billy, stay on path; Rocky, Kat and Aisha, I need you all to be our eyes for the things we can't look out for- people, anyone in danger."

Rocky knelt down beside him. "Can do, Tommy."

Tommy didn't say anything further, not as Billy navigated them back toward the center of town and not as he felt Katherine and Rocky's eyes linger for his attention, desiring his confirmation that everything was okay. But nothing was okay, so how could they expect him to lie about it? Should he take the role he'd always gratified in the past, where he'd clenched his fists and rambled off some clichéd lines about how no matter what, they would be victorious.

Just completely ignore all the facts?

The fact that the more they whisked through the streets of their beloved city it became clearer that everything they'd ever fought for had been completely undone? The fact that people had died because of them? The fact that Zordon was probably dying somewhere, just as Alpha had? Just as Zack had? Just as Trini was following the same, broken path? The fact that Kimberly and Jason were both depending on him again? The fact that even if somehow they dug themselves out of the big, black hole that had consumed their lives forever, nothing would ever be right again? Lives would remain shattered, reputations ruined, accusations stuck.

The fact that he would always be forced to make the decisions he didn't want to make and right at that moment, didn't want to consider. What was more important? Them or the world? Without them, the world would be defenseless, yet with them it was forever in danger.

He didn't believe in anything anymore, and yet he prayed now. He prayed for them all.

--

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

_**Teaser for Chapter 26 "Hit from the Past":**_

A growl from the nearby shadows suddenly caught the officers' attentions', and Farkas clambered to his feet as he reached for his handgun. The muscles in his neck tensed, squeezing the air from him before he gasped out "Jason?"


	26. Hit from the Past

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 26 – Hit from the Past**

_A/N - Okay, I cannot count...there are still eight chapters to post after this one...eight...I know I've said that the past three chapters of so, but this time I've actually counted them lol. Thank you Thank you for the reviews, I appreciate them and they are won-der-ful! Hope you enjoy and have a good night or day wherever you are and whatever you are doing... :-)_**  
**

* * *

Thick static, mixed with periods of random, high-pitched whining continued to drone over the radio's circular speaker as Kimberly rolled her fingers incessantly over the tuning dial. Every moment or so she would hear a sudden change- slurred speaking; noise distinguishable from the level crooning of static. But it just kept faltering. 

She squeezed it between her hands and let out a groan of frustration. She held back on a curse and instead dropped-half threw it on the ground at her knees and glanced over at Jason.

His body was still rested limply against the nearby wall, but his eyes were open, reaching out to her. Crying over Trini had exhausted them both.

She looked back at the ground. She was so tired...so badly tired and the others were taking so long to fix the electricity. She had no choice but to remain in the infirmary, knowing she couldn't go anywhere with Jason's condition deteriorating, but she honestly didn't know how much longer she could last without sleep.

Her eyes drooped. It felt so good.

"God," she whispered to herself, shaking her head and rubbing at her face with her hand.

She sighed and looked back down at the radio, scooping it back up in her hand. She moved the dial about half-heartedly, the static humming and scratching loudly, before it abruptly droned out and the sound of muffled, incoherent speaking could be heard.

"You've got something," Jason murmured.

Kimberly held the dial still for a moment, too afraid to have it drop out again. She let her finger edge it ever so slightly, the incohesive words evening out throughout the static.

"It sounds like a news report," Kimberly said, a small smile quickly flashing, before she turned the volume dial up as high as it could go.

_...For residents in the Jackson Boulevard, Central Grove, Moryua Bay and Down-town business districts you should be evacuating immediately and those areas should be strictly avoided under all circumstances. The Police Commissioner has told Star FM news that there has been a colossal magnitude of injuries and fatalities in these areas, as well as substantial damage to property...I repeat, avoid Angel Grove and if safe to do so, please leave your homes if you are in these areas..._

"Angel Grove is under attack." Kimberly brought her hand to her mouth. "The mutants must have escaped; they must be attacking in the city-."

"Hey, hey," Jason hushed her, putting a finger to his lips. "Listen..."

_...and this is just in, we are being told that the president has issued a statement declaring a state of emergency in response to this outbreak of violence across Angel Grove City. President Holsworthy is urging residents not to involve themselves in the unrest and that military and government tactic teams have been deployed... _

_Wait, what's that? (pause) Okay, I am being told now that there is a confirmed sighting of a what has been described as a large, flying craft, sharing similar characteristics to the giant robot Angel Grove residents witnessed on a frequent basis during the mid-nineties alien attacks against the city...We could be witnessing the return of the power rangers..._

Kimberly inhaled, her eyes widening. Could it even be possible?

Did the others somehow stumble upon a power source?

"Oh, God, I hope it's true," she whispered, as she stood up and aimlessly looked around the room.

"What are you doing?" Jason asked her, his voice barely audible.

She crouched before him, using the sheet on him to gently clean up the fresh blood trickling from his nose. "If what that news report is saying is true, then the guys must have found a power source, or access to some sort of zord," Kimberly rambled. "Either way, we can't sit around here and wait for them to come and get us...we'll give it a little longer, but if they don't show, I'm getting you out of here."

Jason's lips moved ever so slightly as though to protest. Kimberly readjusted the sheet on him, before she stood up and walked over the uneven heaps of split wood and bent metal, kicking aside the shredded bits of material in search of something that would retain Jason's heat better.

She stopped as she heard an out-of-place sound scatter against the concrete and she crouched down, scooping up a gun. Kimberly peered at the weapon closely, unable to tell whether it worked or whether she would even know how to use it, but she tucked it into the elastic of her panties and waited.

_Just come back for us soon, guys..._

* * *

The overwhelming thickness of smoke barey camouflaged the chaos from ground level in Angel Grove and as the car pulled out of the alleyway, the driver flicked the switch. The siren howled, but could only just be heard. 

"Everyone's on foot," his ex-partner noted dully.

The police officer let the car slowly dribble up the usually bustling street, his concern uncomfortably crawling up his throat. He remembered all the times in his youth that he'd seen such similar scenes of crisis- all those times that the supposed alien empire had the city on their knees.

It had been a strange time, and Farkas Bulkmeier couldn't deny it changed him in more ways than he'd realized at the time. He'd had true idols then; the power rangers had been the pillars in everyone's eyes', but at the same time, that all seemed like child's play now.

Where was the single, gruesome looking monster with two heads and an uncanny ability of speaking perfect English who always managed to find its way near their favorite hangouts?

"Come on, people, move," Farkas huffed out, as he squeezed the life out of the steering wheel. "You'd think people would be used to this, you know?" he turned to glance at his friend.

The leaner man rested his head against the headrest. "At this rate, we'll die of starvation before we get to the stat-."

"PLEASE!" A piercing screech startled them both, as a fist pounded incessantly on the driver side window.

Farkas released a breath, his face falling as the older lady continued to run alongside their vehicle.

"Maybe we should stop? She could be injured-."

"And who the hell isn't injured?" he spat back at Eugene Skullovitch, squinting as he realized the anger in his tone.

He flicked his glance in the rear view mirror. The carnage seemed to be following them, catching up to them.

"It's one of those monsters," he realized.

"Turn up this alleyway," Eugene insisted. "Unless you feel like running half a mile and dodging some of those things with our handguns."

He awkwardly shoved the steering wheel to the right. Trash lay strewn across the narrow alleyway from damaged dumpsters, but to his relief, there wasn't anyone who could get in their way.

"Look at this mess," he commented, as he pushed his foot down on the accelerator.

The tires seemed to slip on the uneven service, but then quickly broke free, catapulting the car almost out of control. Both pairs of hands immediately moved to steady the car, but as it collided with something unexpectedly, it came to an almost immediate halt.

"Shit," he muttered. "Damn it!" he slammed the steering wheel with his hands.

"What did we hit?" Eugene asked him with wide eyes.

He sighed, but before he could comment, his friend grabbed him by his sleeve.

"We hit someone!"

"What?" Farkas asked exasperatedly, before his ex-partner opened his door. "Wait! Don't go out there!"

_Great going,_ he thought to himself, as he reluctantly opened his dinted door.

His boots felt heavier than usual as he walked uneasily toward his crouching friend.

"You're not going to believe it…"

"What?" Farkas asked, wondering why on earth they'd stopped at such a dire time. Given the amount of bodies strewn across the main road only a short distance away, he was certain that whomever they'd hit probably wasn't breathing before hand.

"Holy shit, that's Kimberly Hart!" he exclaimed, instantly dropping beside him.

The officer tenderly moved the young woman's messy hair from her face, feeling his nerves leap into overtime as a pained murmur sounded from her cracked lips. It was clear she had been injured from the unexpected collision, but at the same time, something wasn't right.

He remembered the bubbly brunette from six years in elementary school and five years at the very cosmopolitan Angel Grove High. She was one of 'those' girls- perfect hair, lots of equally irritating friends, and most especially, the kind that Farkas had put in all efforts to annoy whenever possible.

Those days were well passed them now. Farkas and Eugene had both changed, thanks to the natural progression into manhood, but that wasn't why he felt so sick looking at his former classmate.

She was sickly, overly malnourished and dressed as though she had just escaped from some kind of mental institution.

And the blood; the white material of the hospital gown that barely covered her fragile body was soaked by too much blood for one person.

A growl from the nearby shadows suddenly caught the officers' attentions', and Farkas clambered to his feet as he reached for his handgun. The muscles in his neck tensed, squeezing the air from him before he gasped out "Jason?"

It was Jason Scott- at least Farkas thought it was, underneath the overgrown facial hair and disturbing gaze. The officer slowly skimmed down his lanky body and froze as he noticed the shotgun dangling from the man's hand.

Farkas slowly lowered his gun to the ground and motioned to his friend to join him as they carefully raised their arms in the air.

"It's cool, Jason, we're not gonna hurt you," Farkas assured him uneasily.

The former martial artist stepped out from the cover of darkness and knelt toward his fallen friend, steadying the barrel of his gun toward the officers.

Farkas swallowed heavily in response. "You remember us, don't you?" he tested. "Bulk and Skull? We uh…used to give you shit in school, and you used to kick our asses for it…"

Jason lowered his head eerily to the side, his gaze unwavering. "The power…"

Farkas frowned a little, his eyes trickling toward Eugene as discreetly as possible.

"What is he talking about?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" Eugene whispered back incredulously. "Why do you think they're dressed like they escaped a nut house?"

Farkas swallowed. "Take a look at the puncher marks on their wrists...on their necks," he murmured, his breathing slowing.

"The power..." Jason repeated in an almost chant-like fashion, his eyes flashing a startling argent glow. "It's here..."

Farkas let out a sharp breath, his forehead furrowing heavily, but Jason seemed oblivious to the officers' reactions and instead returned his disturbed gaze back onto Kimberly.

"This is crazy..." Eugene whispered, his eyes widening with fear. "I think we need to go now...now," he mouthed dramatically.

Farkas just blinked at his friend, before he tore his eyes back to the madness before them. Although her best interests were clearly absorbing his attention, Jason seemed to pull at Kimberly's injured body with little room for tenderness, easily draping her body over his shoulder and standing above the two crouching officers.

Farkas didn't know what to do. All around him, the sounds of complete oblivion surrounded them, but still he was shaken as he watched Jason brush past and walk absentmindedly toward their dinted car.

"Uh-h where are you going?" Farkas stammered.

Jason continued to ignore them, as he attempted to squeeze between the wall and an out of place dumpster. Farkas leant over and grabbed his gun, shoveling it in his holster, as he started after the man, his ex-partner not far behind him.

"Jason!" Farkas shouted out. "Jason, get in the car and we'll take you and Kimberly somewhere where you can get help."

Jason's head twisted around to stare at them, his eyes looking at them but almost looking through them. His hand gripped the deadly weapon in his palm and Farkas tossed his gun toward him, motioning to Eugene to follow. The two weapons scattered along the uneven surface, landing at Jason's feet.

"Here's the keys," Farkas held them up, as he pointed at the car. "Let us help you."

* * *

Billy straightened up in his cockpit chair, his eyes zooming over the monitors. Alarms were blaring and beeping around in incoherent patterns; they were supposed to tell them if there was a problem with the zord that needed serious attention. Problem was; there were so many alarms going off all at once that it was impossible to distinguish what was wrong with what. 

"Tommy, there's a pack of them over to the east," Adam rushed out. "The heat sensors are showing they have humans with them..."

Despite the thickness of his helmet, Billy could still hear Tommy's sigh. "Any way of dealing with this in a pretty way?"

Billy flicked the controls succinctly, rushing to secure an angle of the group of mutants. As the inbuilt camera locked onto them, Billy himself sighed despondently as he realized the sensors were picking up the presence of a heavily injured man who was missing three of his limbs. The sight was enough to bring hidden tears to his eyes.

"Tommy, lock on target and standby to fire," Billy permitted. "The human isn't alive."

Silent contemplation for a brief collection of seconds, before Tommy quickly repositioned the gun canons, sending the target lasers bouncing around in a frenzy.

"Locked on target," Tommy confirmed, as he swung his head over his shoulder. "Guys, brace yourselves."

Rocky wrapped one arm each around Katherine and Aisha, nodding to Tommy to proceed. Tommy initiated the firing sequence and the craft rocked forward as energy bullets dispatched from its undercarriage, barreling toward the large mob of putties.

The impact leapt in front of the zord's windscreen, forcing Billy forward and his body heavily against the control panel.

"Damn that did some damage!" Tommy exclaimed. "You guys okay?"

Billy hid his grimace and nodded, squinting as another alarm started to sound near his ears.

"Great alarm system, really effective," Rocky began sarcastically, talking over the incessant chirping. "Maybe it should sound when something isn't wrong or when there isn't a monster to shoot down."

Adam snickered quickly at Rocky's comment. "Speaking of monsters, my sensor is indicating a large target back up north," he announced. "The signal's faint, so it must be on the other side of these buildings here."

"Billy, can you pilot us around there?" Tommy asked.

Billy nodded swiftly, grabbing hold of the elaborate steering device. The walls of the craft automatically began to crunch and swell, molding and sucking in tightly as Billy steered it though the narrow shelf of the street. The zord moved effortlessly with his signal and turned smoothly around the corner, the alarm sounding even louder as they came face to face with their new target.

"It's Zedd!" Adam chirped up.

"Yeah, and he's looking pissed," Tommy added wryly.

Billy slowed the zord's approach to a hover, as the mutant clone flung his staff above him, sending a shower of electricity into the air. The attack latched onto the zord's outer shell, rocking it about in a heavy tremor.

"What's going on?" Katherine cried out and Billy looked over at his friends, barely able to keep a steady view on them as they struggled to avoid being flung around the cockpit.

"Sensors are going crazy," Tommy rushed out. "That electricity is causing our target lasers to go haywire; Adam, what's your sensor panel telling you?"

"It's too hard for me to decipher," Adam responded in kind. "But there's something coming up at the bottom, some sort of alert being issued about 'home base'."

Billy tried to think for a moment. "It must be referring the facility...it must be issuing an alert in regards to its power drain, that's the only thing I can think of."

Adam shook his head determinedly. "The alert is to do with my temperature sensors and air quality register...I don't know what it wants me to do."

"Yeah, well right now we have something center stage to take care of," Tommy cut in, as the zord settled and the Zedd clone finally lowered its staff. "I think the attack damaged our power gage, it's saying we're low on energy...I'm going to lock on and shoot this son-of-a-bitch down with every ounce of power this baby has-."

"Tommy, wait," Billy put a hand up toward his friend. "There are apartment buildings to the left there. You need to make sure your aim is as precise as possible, we don't know if there are civilians who are hiding out in their homes, too afraid to evacuate."

"Thanks Billy," he offered sincerely; his voice sounding slightly nervous. "I'm aiming now, Rocky make sure you hold onto Kat and Aisha."

"It's probably the last decent feel up I'm ever gonna get the chance to have," he replied back surprisingly lightly and Billy smiled a little.

Momentarily. He could remember the 'old days'; even in the midst of trial and tribulation, Rocky was still there to make them laugh at the strangest of moments.

"Target locked on- ready, aim, fire!"

Billy grabbed hold of the zord's control panel and locked the joints in his arms as the attack sent the zord forward again. His attempts to remain graceful flew out the window and he went crashing into the panel before him, Katherine and Rocky both scattering into him as the zord regained its balance.

"Smooth...that was smooth Tommy," Rocky muttered, as they tried to steady themselves.

"Sorry guys," Tommy apologized. "Target is down...minimal damage caused to the nearby building."

"Good job, Tommy," Adam praised. "Billy; my sensor panel is flashing again...Tommy, are your sensors indicating any issues with the facility?"

"Yeah," Tommy responded. "But like you said earlier, it's reporting problems with air quality and the heat sensor is rising dramatically."

"Why would the sensors be warning us about bad air around the facility?" Aisha asked in confusion.

Billy looked down at the monitor in the panel, quickly moving through the options to secure a read-out on the IBI facility. The figures jumped up at him, digits blinking like mad as Billy realized just what was wrong at the government building to be affecting the zord's sensors to such a degree.

"I'm taking a big guess here, but these heat readings are astronomical...combined with poor air quality, it can only mean one thing..." he looked over at Tommy. "The facility is on fire."

--

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

_**Teaser for Chapter 27 "Last Resort":**_

"What are you doing?" she asked him softly; with confusion.

Jason felt sickened beyond comparison. He whispered prayers under his breath, before he slowly moved the gun and pointed it toward her.


	27. Last Resort

**Existence**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 27 – Last Resort**

_A/N – Thanks for the reviews, here's another chapter for you all. Let me know what ya think :-) Oh, and to give you a clue to how this story will go, this isn't anyone's dream...There will be no easy answers out of this story like that theory. And please don't worry, answers will be coming, so if you've got them you're just going to have to be patient and ride the story out. Cheers to you!_

* * *

Seconds were trickling into minutes, minutes were tumbling into hours and Kimberly's mind was very quickly falling away. She didn't realize how much time had passed. She hadn't heard Jason's murmurs for her help or the out of place footsteps only a handful of rooms away. 

The horrid, messed up existence they'd been handed had been phased out, replaced by her sleeping conscious, her body so far past exhausted that nothing penetrated it. The barrier had been placed. Kimberly had fallen asleep after hours of resistance and for those handful of minutes – maybe hours – nothing else existed to her.

Only a few feet away, Jason was faltering himself between consciousness and something resembling an almost death. His efforts to stir her awake with an extended arm failed time and time again. His lips mouthed the curves of her name as he remained in an almost paralyzed state, watching the clone of his best friend wonder aimlessly around the other side of the room.

"Kim," Jason's voice croaked out. "Kim."

Jason could only stare as the clone of Tommy suddenly dropped to the ground and crawled toward Kimberly's unaware body, before it grabbed the front of her dirty hospital gown and began to shake it roughly

Kimberly let out a hapless moan. Confused for a moment, she kept her eyes closed, only allowing them to open after she felt the touch of another brush her cheek.

"Tommy?" she whispered, her eyes blurry as they focused on the familiar set of dark eyes staring intently at her.

She wriggled her body and tried to straighten up, her heart falling as her surroundings came together and she suddenly remembered where she was.

It was almost enough to make her cry.

"Damn it," she rubbed her face angrily. "I fell asleep."

The clone remained still before her, his head tipping slightly from side to side as though he were intrigued by her. Kimberly pushed on him somewhat, using his body to help her to standing, before her head dropped to her left and her legs almost gave way on her.

"Jason!" she exclaimed as she fell to his side, and grabbed his face in between her hands. She stared at him for a moment, waiting for him to respond and when he didn't, the tears came.

The blood was everywhere and was so biting. It had trickled in numerous streams from his nose, from his ears...and the color of it was so intense, that it looked completely surreal.

"I'm so sorry..." Kimberly sobbed, as she fell toward his body and buried her face in his lap. "I didn't mean to leave you..."

"Kim?"

Kimberly shot back up and blinked at him, her body shaking uncontrollably as she noticed his eyes flutter open and rest on her.

"Kim, what's wrong?" he croaked out.

Kimberly exhaled and smiled despite herself, before she moved her hands behind her back and hesitantly undid the ties to her gown. She struggled with the last tie, before she took a deep breath and allowed it slip off her shoulders, holding the bunched material before her in a feeble attempt to shield her now naked torso.

"Jason, say something to me," she breathed out, watching as his eyes stayed closed.

They fluttered open again and to her surprise he looked to smile. "There's no time for that now," he murmured wryly, his eyes gesturing to her. "Put your clothes back on."

Kimberly sighed and managed another smile, before she moved some of her gown to clean the blood that had ravaged his usually peaceful face.

An alarm abruptly blared in the near distance and Kimberly jumped to standing, flinging the hospital robe carelessly on before she headed toward the nearby door. She reached for the handle to open it, but stopped in shock at the view out to the corridor.

"It must be a fire alarm!" Kimberly exclaimed with panic, as she threw a quick glance over at Jason and the clone, before she looked back through the window. "There's smoke everywhere!"

Kimberly stared at the smoldering cloud through the window for another moment, before she flung herself around and stared at Jason with urgency.

"Jason, you have to get up, we have to get out of here now!" she told him.

His eyes were open, but didn't meet hers, and instead wandered down into his lap.

Kimberly sighed and hurried over to him, pulling the sheet off him. She stopped in stunned silence as she noticed the red flush to his exposed limbs, before she shook her head quickly and grabbed his arm.

"Jason, you have to get up," she told him again, trying not to raise her voice. "There must be a fire somewhere in the facility and we need to go- now."

"I can't Kim," he breathed out, his eyes awash in a watery glow. "I can't."

"Don't do this now," Kimberly dismissed him, trying to pull on his arms. He winced roughly and she paused, trying to catch her breath. "Just stand up, and I'll help you the rest of the way like you helped me."

Jason's eyes' squeezed close. "I can't move, Kim...it hurts too much..."

Kimberly inhaled a shaky breath. No. No, this wasn't happening. They were walking out together; she wasn't prepared to consider any other alternative.

"Jason, please," she whimpered helplessly, her hand moving to catch his cheek as his face fell awkwardly. "Come on, please-."

"You have to go without me," he wheezed out. "I want you to go, now, and leave me here-."

"No!" Kimberly cried. "I'm not leaving you, are you crazy?"

He pushed at her hands before he grabbed her head, pulling her toward his face. "Kimberly, listen to me," he breathed. "I-I'm not going to make it..." she pulled sharply away from him in protest, but he grabbed her again. "I'm dying! I'm too far gone, I can't feel..I feel..."

Kimberly fell to her knees and began to sob, the sound of smashing glass echoing in the background.

* * *

Katherine's fingers' clawed at the heavy floor beneath her, but she couldn't grip on and slid heavily into Rocky, the force catapulting her hard enough that it hurt. 

She winced heavily, feeling sick.

"Kat, I'm-." Rocky grunted and cursed as the zord dipped unexpectedly.

Katherine inhaled, her stomach floating as though she were on the peaking slope of a roller coaster.

This was the absolute chaos that had become of their rush back to the facility from Angel Grove.

They were losing power quickly. Tommy was losing his mind. Katherine was losing her stomach and Billy was losing his composure. Could they actually even make it back to the facility on their struggling vessel?

Katherine lowered the front of her torso to the floor, as though she were praying. Rocky's arm quickly moved to tuck under her and yanked her back up, pulling her easily against him.

"Guess we know now why seatbelts were invented," he mused in her ear.

Katherine wrapped her own arm around him to tighten their grip, resting her mouth near his cheek. "Is Billy saying that we're not going to make it?" she asked him, finding it frustrating trying to decipher Tommy, Billy and Adam's broken up deliberations.

"Honestly, Kat, I think it's a chance, but the fear makes things worse, you know what I mean?"

Katherine swallowed. "I hope the others are okay…"

"Guys, give me an updated status on the facility," Billy asked, practically yelling as the zord's signaling system continued to wail incessantly.

"Billy, it's almost impossible to interpret these figures," Adam promptly replied, "but they're all through the roof – I may be wrong but it looks to have stopped at its highest registering point."

"There seems to be minimal mutants remaining in town," Tommy added swiftly. "Sensors are detecting a minority slightly north of the Astor building on North Street, but it appears that the rest have been taken care of."

It was the constant story of their struggle- save themselves and they would lose the world, but save the world and they would lose themselves. They could never find the balance, there was never that solution.

What if something unthinkable had happened to Kimberly and Jason?

She squeezed her eyes closed and tightened her grip on Rocky. The déjà vu was beginning to become overwhelming. Katherine's faith had been damaged again, just like it had been shattered in Seréshis, and yet somehow rebuilt after they had destroyed Zedd. But yet again, she could no longer trust in the things that Zordon had taught her or believe that no matter how low things got, a solution would always find its way into the palms of their hands.

There was nothing magical in this universe, not like the deadly yet beautiful life that Zordon had preached to them back then. Even with all the power in the world, they were no longer superheroes, or maybe they never were. They were mortals, barely more than children. Billy wasn't the answer to all, but only a bright mind; Tommy was an inspiration, yet he was only forced to make the choices that someone else would have had to make in his absence. And whose fault was it now that they were where they were?

Fighting for a life, that wasn't even theres. That wasn't even real. How had their fates and indeed the providence of the world been altered forever by that unthinkable accident at Seréshis that day?

"Guys, hold on, we're approaching the facility now," Billy swung his head over, his voice catching Katherine during her intense reflections.

Katherine lifted her head from where she had buried it into the curve of Rocky's neck. Smoke distorted the view from the windscreen, much like it had in the city, only this cloud was thicker. Darker.

"Billy, I might be wrong but sensors are picking up on three large targets just ahead," Adam alerted.

Billy shook his head swiftly. "You're not wrong, Adam," he assured him, as he quickly shifted the direction of the zord.

Katherine braced herself for the hundredth time, as the floor beneath her caved forward and sloped toward the ground.

"What are you doing?" Rocky asked demandingly, sharing an incredulous look with Katherine and Aisha.

"We can't destroy them with any more ammunition, it's too risky- I'm landing us now, before it's too late," Billy told everyone, surprising Katherine with the strength of his tone. "Everyone, brace yourself for an unpleasant landing."

"Great," Katherine whispered under her breath miserably.

She closed her eyes, the vertigo stealing a gasp from her mouth as she felt the floor practically fall from beneath her. Her gasp turned into a shriek, into a squeal, a scream and then-.

The landing threw her around so unexpectedly that she didn't have a chance to make a noise. For a very brief moment she wondered if she'd maybe been knocked out or worse; she forgot what she was doing and where she was as she felt two pairs of arms pull on her. Darkness was all she saw.

"Kat, wholly fuck; Billy- she's unconscious!" Rocky harped out.

There were other voices, too, but Katherine lost her hold on the building conversation as she fluttered her eyes open and grabbed hold of her head.

"She's not unconscious," Adam assured them as he knelt down before her, removing the helmet from his head. "Are you okay?"

Katherine had to think about it for a moment. "I think so…" she blinked. "I'm fine," she decided.

Rocky still looked pissed, as Billy moved from his chair and attended to Aisha who was ungracefully re-gathering herself after the heavy landing.

Katherine looked out to the windscreen, realizing they must have landed somewhere in the deep bush lands that encircled the IBI facility. The air looked dirty outside, but the smoke sat out of reach, giving a clear view of their dimly-lit surroundings.

The alarms no longer blared, the lights on the console no longer blinked and everything was suddenly so unnervingly silent inside the zord's cabin.

"Didn't you say you saw mutants near here?" Rocky reminded Adam.

Adam licked his lips and nodded. "I thought so…my sensors have stopped working now."

Tommy brushed past them and side-stepped Katherine, moving for the exit of the cockpit.

"Where are you going?" Rocky asked him.

Tommy looked briefly over his shoulder. "I'm going back to the facility," he replied matter-of-factory. "Can't you hear the fire and see all the smoke outside?"

Billy straightened up from Aisha. "Tommy, we can't just walk back to the facility- those targets Adam saw were large in comparison to the putties- we could be looking at three or so clones of Zedd," he pointed out.

Tommy pushed his helmet back on his head. "I'm covered, I'll be fine- stay here and I'll come back once I get Jason, Kim and Trini," he told them.

Rocky shook his head. "Don't even think about it, Tommy-."

Tommy dismissed him and Katherine quickly scampered to her feet, jumping to place a hand on his shoulder.

"Tommy, don't go," she asked him.

"I have to Kat," he whispered back to her. "You know why."

"But-." Katherine's hand slipped from his shoulder as he slid open the heavy door and leaped out into the foliage, pushing through despite their loud protests.

Katherine lowered her head, the uneasy breeze from outside blowing a strange heat against her cheeks as she stared out the open doorway as though being too afraid to move.

"He's gonna fucking kill himself," Rocky was muttering about loudly. "Jesus Christ, now what are we gonna do?"

Adam swallowed heavily. "Kat, you should close the door," he told her. "We don't know what's out there."

Katherine didn't move, she couldn't. It was wrong of Tommy to leave them, yes, but would she be any better if she didn't follow? At least try to salvage something?

She no longer had anything, except for them. If she didn't fight for that, then what was the point in everything they'd barely lived for this past week?

"Katherine?" Billy asked, his voice void of any force.

Katherine could barely swallow, before she bit her lip and jumped out through the door. She winced as her feet slammed into the dirt, the shock jarring through her legs as she heard four other voices call out after her.

"Katherine!"

"I'm going after Tommy," Katherine revealed rather dramatically, spinning around to face them all. "I can't let him go through this alone again!"

"Katherine, don't- it's too dangerous!" Billy argued.

Katherine shook her head and whispered a goodbye, before she turned and pushed her body through the relentless foliage. She could clearly see the path that Tommy had trampled and quickened her pace, pushing her legs and arms to such a pace where they stung almost unbearably.

"Tommy!" she called out, her eyes widening as the canopying trees began to disperse, piecing together a horrifying view of the facility ahead.

An absolute fire storm.

She stopped momentarily and turned around, contemplating going back for the others, when she heard Tommy call out from the distance. Katherine headed toward his voice, scurrying through a break in the boundary fence as she noticed her brooding leader ahead.

"Tommy!" Katherine cried out, her eyes instantly watering as heat from the flames began to overwhelm her.

Tommy turned toward her, removing his helmet. "Kat- you shouldn't have followed me!"

She looked at the facility, her heart pounding. "Kimberly! Trini!" she called out, ignoring Tommy's words.

"Jason!" Tommy quickly joined her verbal desperation. "Where are you?"

And then through the devouring cloud, a dark figure suddenly appeared in the distance, pacing toward them at a leisurely pace; with a look of composed madness on his features.

Agent Johns. One of them, anyway.

The showdown had begun.

* * *

Jason could feel his eyes roll into his head and he moaned out painfully, trying his best to see Kimberly. So many thoughts ravaged his mind; memories and all those sentimental things flashing before him, reminding him of his promise to always protect Them before himself. 

He didn't want to be there anymore. How long would it take before his body finally had enough and would just give up? He was crying now, too. Watching her cry, thinking of his family and everything else in the world that meant something in his fake, but peaceful existence was pushing him closer and closer to the edge.

The faint smell of smoke tickled his blocked senses, stirring his urgency for her once more.

"Please, go!" Jason practically howled out at her.

Kimberly remained hunched before him, looking up at him with bloodshot eyes.

Something wasn't right- he could see it straight away. The small veins that flooded her usually bright eyes were pumping with a magenta glow, the faintest smudge of blood resting just beneath her nostrils.

She saw the expression in his eyes and reached for her face, crying out as the pinkish liquid smeared on her hand.

"Oh God," she blubbered. "What's happening to us?"

Jason rubbed the tears from his cheeks. "I think you were right, Kim," he told her. "I think Billy was right all along. I don't know how, I don't know why, but our powers are killing us..."

Kimberly's eyes narrowed slightly, as realization dawned on her. "But how can that be? If we're clones..." she threw a look over her shoulder as Tommy's clone began banging on the door as though possessed. She looked back at Jason. "Zack and Trini were both dying from their powers, just like you and I are...but they weren't at Seréshis, they weren't clones...Tommy and Billy were both rangers at the start like we were, and yet they're fine...but..."

Jason couldn't help but let his head fall forward slightly, the remainder of Kimberly's sentence blurring past him. Even though he was so tired and the pain was so intense, he found Kimberly's words once again, thumping in his brain, repeating over and over and over.

Then, it hit him.

He lifted his gaze, his head still heavy. "You and I, we never...we never died..."

Kimberly suddenly began to cough, falling into Jason as her body heaved and spasmed. She whimpered out painfully and Jason reached around her back, offering her the support he knew she'd always longed for. He had made his mind up and it was for her- for them- he had promised himself and Zordon all those years ago that he would protect his teammates without compromise. They were his soul mates; the ones who 'got him' and the ones who didn't deserve any of this.

He wrapped his second arm around her and buried his face in her hair, letting his hand slide as inconspicuously as possible down the side of her slender back. He could feel the bulk of it sticking out from her underwear and he wrapped his hand tightly around it before yanking it out.

Kimberly straightened herself up immediately and Jason fumbled slightly before he brought the gun close to his side.

"What are you doing?" she asked him softly; with confusion.

Jason felt sickened beyond comparison. He whispered prayers under his breath, before he slowly moved the gun and pointed it toward her.

"Kim, get off...go," he motioned with a movement of the gun. "Get up."

Kimberly stared at him for a moment, before her hands slowly slid off his chest. "Why are you pointing that at me?"

"Get up," he forced out as heavy as he could. "Now!"

Kimberly slowly slithered her straddling legs from his lap and awkwardly tried to stand up, her face twisting painfully as her hands clung to her stomach. Jason could feel the metal in his hand shake, his arm barely able to hold such a small weight with any accuracy.

Jason swallowed. "Now take some steps backward, go-."

"What? Are you going to shoot me?" she asked him in bewilderment. She eyes welled with tears. "We are so close, Jason, so close..." she pleaded in a shaky voice. "Just out those doors is freedom- they can help us..."

Jason let his thumb cock the gun's hammer. He could feel himself losing his battle with his emotions and conscious. "Kimberly, I don't want to hurt you-."

"Why are you doing this?" she pleaded in a pitchy voice. "I know you, Jason; you would never hurt me."

_You're right, Kim...you are so right..._

He suddenly turned the barrel of the gun to himself, and rested it on the shelf of his forehead, inhaling sharply when Kimberly started for him and then stopped.

"Please, Kim..." Jason begged her, not even knowing if the sound was coming out of his lips anymore. "I don't want you to die in this shit hole like the rest of us! I want you to get out of here and find Tommy and he will work out how to make you better..."

Kimberly lowered her head and continued to cry, her own sobbing muted in Jason's ears by his own outpouring of emotion and passion.

"I don't care, I'm not going without you- we promised each other Jason, and I've already failed Trini and Zack, I'm not going to fail with you- You can shoot me, I don't care anymore..."

Jason's heart sank and he almost felt the pistol slip from his hand. He pushed it harder against his flesh and shook his head sadly. "I would never hurt you Kim...I'm just really sorry for everything...I'm sorry for how I failed in protecting you from Zedd and Goldar in Seréshis and I'm sorry...and I'm sorry about..." he swallowed.

Kimberly's eyes softened. "Please, Jason...I don't want you to do anything crazy..."

He moved his finger to the lever. "This isn't a life, this isn't an existence..." he whispered, before his eyes squeezed her away and he pulled the trigger.

--

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

_**Teaser for Chapter 28 "The Smoking Gun":**_

He looked up, managing to somehow find Johns through his distorted view. The older man began to extend his arm, leveling his gun slowly in Tommy's direction.


	28. The Smoking Gun

**Existence**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 28 – The Smoking Gun**

_A/N - Thanking everybody for their reviews of the last chapter :-) This chapter is...well...maybe you should just read it...6 chapters to go after this one...  
_

* * *

Katherine stumbled awkwardly, her feet scattering quickly as she cast her eyes upon their hated foe – the man of pure evil – the creator of every single horror they'd endured since their abduction. 

She clenched her teeth and looked over for Tommy, watching as he stalked transfixed toward the agent-in-charge.

"No one can know!" Johns yelled out, as he abruptly waved the smoking torch gun in the air. "No one can know!"

Katherine watched Tommy's eyes' darken. "See this suit I'm wearing? See the zord land in the distance? Checkmate, asshole...you're going down!"

Johns remained still, his lips curling slightly. Katherine could literally see the anger pumping through Tommy's limbs, pushing him toward the edge...

"Tommy, stop it!" Katherine pleaded with him, as she quickly dodged in front of him and put her hands to his chest. "There is too much at stake."

She could feel the hot breaths expelling from between his clenched teeth on her forehead and cowered inside as his eyes fleetingly gazed down at her with a crazed hatred she'd never seen from Tommy Oliver.

"Move away, Kat," he breathed down at her. "This is between me and Johns."

Katherine was about to protest, but Johns' unnerving cackling suddenly sliced through the heated moment, pulling her around in confusion.

His jovial display diminished slightly and he settled into a grin. "Why of course, Mr Oliver, I know you so well; the bold, fierce white ranger...leader, the man in charge always out to steal the limelight. What a surprise to find that even as a carbon copy, you still haven't lost that selfish edge you were so famous for-."

They all flinched and gazed out toward the facility as a distant, but familiar scream called out for help.

"Oh my God, Tommy, it's Kim!" Katherine stammered, before she broke free from his side and hurried toward the flaming building. "Kimberly!" she called out desperately. "We're here; where are you?"

She waited for a moment, the ravenous flames roaring so piercingly that she could scarcely hear a single thing over the beating of her heart. A hurried glance to the left; to the right- She didn't know what to do or how to get inside!

"Tommy!" Katherine cried out, as she spun her head around for his help.

She swallowed as she noticed Tommy only steps away from Johns and started for them. "Tommy, don't do this!" she called out.

"Katherine, stay back!" Tommy snapped, lashing an arm out in a wild gesture.

Katherine sighed incredulously and winced as a burst of wind pushed the heat from behind toward them.

"YOU caused this!" Tommy growled, as he took another step toward him. "And mark my words I am going to kill you a hundred times over for what you did to us!"

"You're so quick to blame the project Mr. Oliver, but had you been a better leader all those years ago then we wouldn't be standing here having this conversation- we wouldn't be standing around here listening as the fire consumes those you failed to protect before."

Katherine blinked and caught Tommy's sudden gaze as he looked toward the building, his eyes widening as though his mind only just registered the destruction happening around him. She could feel the tears slip off her cheek as another round of strangled cries for help sounded out from behind the flames.

"Kim!" Katherine called out again, before she spun around and began running blindly back toward the facility's high walls. "Kimberly, we're here!"

Her eyes locked in on a metal plate some one hundred yards away in the ground and she quickened her pace, ignoring the amber light that showered the skin of her face and arms with an increasingly unbearable heat. Smoke pillowed around her and as she sucked in a mouthful of it, she felt herself drop to the ground like a stone, coughing uncontrollably.

"Kim!" Katherine cried out sporadically, as she began to drag herself along the dirt, her eyes fixed on the hatch door. "Kimberly, I'm here! KIM!"

Her heavy head fell against the earth and she grasped the trapdoor's only handle with a painful, but frantic clasp. Folding her legs beneath her, she used her leveraged weight as she pulled and pulled at the door, but it only resisted her efforts and merely whined with her jerking motion.

"Come on!" she pleaded to herself, as beads of sweat crawled along her forehead. "Come on, open please!"

"Kat?"

Katherine threw her head around as she heard her name echo out from behind her.

"Tommy?" she called back. "Tommy, I'm over here!"

She released a shaky breath of relief as she watched his form clear through the building smoke, running toward her.

"I can't get it open!" she rushed out, as he dropped to her side, his hands fumbling for the handle on the hatch.

Kimberly continued to scream from somewhere.

Tommy heaved, pulling on the door and growling angrily. "Something's holding it shut on the other side!" he stammered, before he sucked in a heavy breath. "There has to be another way in!"

Katherine flung her head around in desperation, images of Kimberly burning in the inferno stealing her torrid imagination away.

* * *

Adam took a rigid step, his body stiffening as the dry leaves crunched beneath his weight, snapping through the unsettling silence like a whip against taunt flesh. 

He flicked his uncovered head to the right and then to the left, before he waited. Exposed.

Satisfied, he shook his head, throwing a glance over his shoulder at his remaining friends who were all huddled near the half open entrance into the zord. "I can't see anything," he admitted. "Maybe they've all-."

His sentence stopped, as he heard the sound of raised and serrated voices screaming away in the distance.

_Tommy…Kat…_

His heart quickened and he stepped back quickly. "That sounded like Tommy and Katherine," Adam told them. "They sound like they're in trouble."

"Maybe they've found the Zedd clones?" Billy suggested. "By any account, we need to ensure we have ample protection before attempting an ambush."

Adam nodded, as he followed them back into the zord's cockpit, his lips stiffening as Rocky mumbled away about Tommy and Katherine's foolish decision to flee the group in pursuit of the facility.

And pretty soon, everyone had some sort of verbal vendetta against their absent leader.

"See, this is exactly the reason why I told Tommy we should have gone and morphed before getting onto this thing," Aisha was speaking to Rocky. "I know we were in a rush, but he should have known to be more careful."

"Okay, okay," Adam raised a hand, not bothering to hide his intolerance. "Bring it up with Tommy after we help him and everyone's okay, but for now let's deal with this matter, please."

Billy was ignoring everyone entirely, instead pulling at various panels at the back of the cockpit until finally he pulled up and let out a "There they are."

"What have you found?" Adam asked him hopefully, brushing past Rocky.

"Here, hand them around," Billy passed Adam an oversized gun of some kind, before removing more from the hidden shelf.

Adam passed one to Aisha and his childhood friend's face instantly flared with panic. "I don't know how to use one of these," she insisted firmly.

Adam tried to smile at her. "Hopefully you won't have to use it," he assured her,

Rocky inspected his own weapon, before Billy flung his upwards, holding it close to his chest. "Adam, you should lead the group," he suggested. "I'll follow second, Aisha will stay in the middle," he looked over at Rocky. "Are you going to be right to keep guard from the back?"

"No worries," Rocky replied with quiet confidence. "You guys ready?"

Adam nodded. "Let's go."

And they ran- literally raced, as though to indulge the idea that if the scenery blazed by too fast to fix on, then nothing could hurt them. Adam pushed through the line of bushes he'd watched Katherine disappear into, and hurriedly led his friends around the twisted makeshift path, pulling swiftly around a thick trunk before-.

"Adam- watch out!"

Aisha's piercing scream made Adam twist too soon, and he actually fell, crawling toward them quickly. Rocky pushed in front of Aisha and raised his gun, barking at Adam to stay down, before he pulled the trigger.

Adam reached for Billy's extended hands and stood up, turning around in time to watch the bullets slice through the cloned mutant's shoulder, sending it off into an agonizing howl.

"Guys, get your guns up and ready!" Rocky rushed at them from in front, as they all stared transfixed at the injured clone of their old foe.

Adam huddled Aisha against him for protection. "Why? Are you out of bullets?"

Rocky gestured with a flick of his weapon toward the nearby shadows and Adam felt his insides sink as he noticed the four sets of glowing red visors staring back at them, ready for the kill.

* * *

Tommy was overwhelmed. Physically, mentally, spiritually, in every God-damned way imaginable he was losing the plot. He'd lost the plot. He didn't know what to do, it was all too much! All the death, all the blood, all the absolute mess that he'd tried so desperately to see through, but he couldn't...God... 

He turned to Katherine, shaking the fog in his mind. He moved to grab her on the shoulders and she looked at him with confusion, almost moving to push him away.

"Kat? Kat, listen to me-." he got back down on his knees beside her, trying to pry her hands from the handle. "Kat, you have to get out of here-."

"I'm not going!"

"Kat!" Tommy snapped, grabbing her forcibly by the shoulders. He shook her roughly, unable to control himself. "You have to get out of here; I don't want anything to happen to you!"

Tears welled in her eyes as she whimpered, "But Kim-."

"Just go!" Tommy cut her off, motioning sharply with his head. "Please!"

He watched her run off through the smoke, its thick skin quickly engulfing her and stealing her from his view. Flames licked at the nearby wall only a matter of feet away, but he merely winced through the agony of his bare cheeks.

"Kimberly!" he called out aimlessly, pulling on the handle once again. "KIMBERLY!"

Again, her screams were heard from somewhere, from some direction. He grabbed his head, squeezing the heat from his eyes. God only knew where he had left his helmet. Maybe he was just hearing her in his head. Maybe her screams were his conscious paying him back and making him suffer for all the stupid decisions he'd ever made- for all the times he'd abandoned her and let her pay a price because he was a terrible leader, a shitty lover and an even lousier friend.

"Oh God, Kim," he clawed at his eyes, his heavy head falling for his lap. "I'm so sorry..."

But she just screamed and kept on screaming. He had no doubt in his mind that this time, he'd truly lost her. They'd truly lost.

He heard Kimberly call out again. And again. And then he heard her call his name. Again and again.

"Tommy!"

Tommy swung his head around in a daze, his sight blurred by his tears but watching with disbelief as her form appeared in the far distance, stumbling through the destructive fumes.

"Kimberly!" Tommy yelled out, scampering to his feet. "Kimberly, we're here!"

Her limbs flailed in desperation as she sprinted for him, her eyes and lips wide open. "Tommy, it's not what you think!" she suddenly screamed out. "There's more-."

Her sentence never completed, she never made it into his awaiting arms. Tommy couldn't see what happened at first, but her body just seemed to crumple so shockingly fast that he knew she hadn't merely tripped over her feet. Her head slammed against the dusty dirt, arms sprawled above her body and no movement. Nothing.

"Kim?" Tommy started for her, but then he saw it.

His stomach rolled, lurching uncontrollably as he watched the magenta liquid spread across the top of her hospital gown, crawling across it insatiably as it oozed from the wound on her chest.

"No...No, oh God..." Tommy moved his hand to his mouth, before a figure moved into the corner of his sight and his hand fell back limply to his side.

Agent Johns stared back at him, the smoking gun hanging down from his hand.

* * *

Tommy could practically smell his own skin beginning to burn as the inferno continued nearby, but still he stumbled toward her, trying to stop himself from crying as he stared down her murderer. His blue eyes were steeled, but it was hard to tell if the agent was amused by the scene or oddly shocked. 

"Tommy!" Rocky was suddenly behind him, pulling sharply on his shoulders.

Tommy was too exhausted to fight off his friend, and instead fell to his knees, slamming his fists against the ground.

"Kimberly!" Katherine was crying out from somewhere else, Aisha's own exclamation of horror quickly following in suit.

Rocky lowered to Tommy's side, moving his face to his. "Tommy, what the fuck is going on?"

"He killed her," Tommy was practically sobbing, but his tears dried up quickly as he spotted the agent slowly stalking toward their fallen friend.

"Stay away from her!" Tommy snapped viscously, leaping to his feet. "Where are the others?" he demanded.

_Where the hell is Jason??_

Tommy moved for Kimberly, ignoring Billy's objection.

"No one can know!" Johns suddenly exclaimed, standing his ground. "The world can never know about this- the truth of his mistakes- the horrors of Seréshis!"

Tommy locked a careful eye on the agent, before he dropped to his knees and crawled helplessly toward Kimberly's motionless body.

"Why the hell did you kill her?" Katherine cried out, before she started to run for him. Billy latched onto her quickly, holding her back as she screamed out. "You didn't have to kill her!"

"She would have been dead in a matter of hours, anyway," Johns dismissed her, gesturing widely with the gun his hand. "She was the last one...I had no choice but to clean up the project, to dispose of all the evidence-."

"You put the entire world in jeopardy- you took away our lives for God's sake!" Rocky cut him off, clenching his fists.

Tommy looked away, lowering his head to Kimberly's, whimpering out as he felt a breath against his aching cheek.

"Tommy..." she whispered.

He dragged his hands to her chest and squeezed at her wound, bunching the material in his fingers.

"Please don't talk," he told her.

He looked up, managing to somehow find Johns through his distorted view. The older man began to extend his arm, leveling his gun slowly in Tommy's direction.

Tommy snickered bitterly, and then looked back down at Kimberly. Her lips were moving, her eyes were open, but he wouldn't look into them.

"Don't you dare!" Rocky suddenly yelled out, and Tommy snapped his head up in time to watch the agent rest the gun point to the side of his own temple.

"Don't be a coward, Johns!" Tommy snarled.

The agent's face remained stony, before he flicked the hammer and pulled the trigger.

"NO!" They all yelled and cried out in disbelief, as the close impact forced Tommy to look away.

He flung a quick look around as his teammates rushed for his side, but Tommy didn't move. Fresh blood dirtied the dusty ground a short distance nearby, and it took everything in him to resist leaping up and kicking the dead agent over and over again.

"Quick, we've got to get Jason and Trini!" Aisha gasped loudly.

Tommy moved one of his bloodied gloves to Kimberly's forehead, brushing her wispy bangs from her eyes. The others were fighting each other and arguing behind him, but it didn't matter anymore.

"Tommy!"

Tommy tried to push away Billy's intrusive voice.

"Tommy, we've got to get out of here, the facility could explode at any moment!" Billy pulled on his arm. "Come on!"

"The others are inside!" Katherine pleaded desperately. "What about Zordon? He could be in there, we can't just leave them-."

"There's no time!" Billy cut her off.

Aisha stared at him, her face as maddened and disgusted as Tommy had ever seen it. "I can't believe you're just giving up- for God's sake, Tommy was right!" she spat at him.

She spun around and began to pace toward the facility, but Rocky sprinted quickly after her, grabbing her on the shoulders and shoving her roughly around.

"Aisha, don't!"

Tommy looked away, looked back at Kimberly. If this was hell, then they'd certainly died together, gone in a way Tommy never could have imagined, at a time he had certainly never predicted. Back in the days of ranger glory, he'd always seen them as invincible, always. Even at the very worst times when they'd fought, prayed and cried together, they could have stood through it all. To lose now, to lose everything now, was such an incredible injustice.

He sniffed, letting the world around them fall away. "Come on Kim, you're going to be okay...remember, you always said we'd make it through anything..."

Her lips moved, but he didn't hear her and so he lowered his ear against her rough lips. "Trini's dead..."

Tommy held his breath, but didn't move. "Kim-."

"Jason's dead."

Tommy's eyes welled sharply and he moved away from her, staring at the ground. "He can't, I mean he couldn't have-."

"Jase...we never did...Don't trust any...they are- are...they're all..."

"Tommy, we need to get Kim to the hospital," Rocky started pulling on Tommy, his body moving limply with his efforts.

"Wait," Tommy pushed his hand away, settling his teary expression on Kimberly. "Kim, what are you saying?" he asked her softly.

Her lips rested ajar, her fuchsia colored eyes fluttering sporadically.

"No...please," Tommy whimpered, scooping her into his arms. "Kim, come on, I'm going to take you to get help."

If he could have cried her back to life he would have. But it wasn't enough and she released her last breath, dying right there in his arms, as the sound of helicopters hummed toward them in the sky.

--

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

_**Teaser for Chapter 29 "The Choice":**_

"Tommy, what haven't you told us?" Adam asked him quietly, as Tommy remained with his back turned to them.

Katherine waited as Tommy meekly turned to face them all.

_A/N#2-Next chapter tones down the drama, and ups the answers...for a little while, at least..._


	29. The Choice

**Existence**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 29 – The Choice**

_A/N- Thanks for the reviews!! Thanks to all who voted for this story in the 2007 'What a Character Awards'!! And thanks, once more, for reading this chapter. :-) Sorry for the delay in posting this one...life just hasn't been kind to me this past week. This is a bit of a strange chapter but the show, as they say, must go on...Oh, and a big thanks to Mali for keping me entertained this morning as I post this...  
_

* * *

_**405 Freeway, Angel Grove, USA**_

Farkas kept squeezing the steering wheel in between his hands, the sweat leaking from his palms to the point of where it felt like he was molding the hard plastic and changing its shape. It was the middle of winter, and yet it felt like the middle of July- all he wanted to do was wind down the windows of their messed-up police car, but the vehicle's shell was the only thing keeping the suffocating smoke from outside at bay.

"How long has it been since we've moved?"

Farkas shuffled uncomfortably in the driver's seat, casting a jagged gaze his way. "We should've gone back to the station first," he mumbled to Eugene, stopping as the car behind them blew their horn suddenly. For no apparent reason.

Traffic was at a standstill on the 405. Hundreds of cars sat before them, potentially another couple of hundred behind. Then, to make the situation worse, people had quickly found their stupidity and had commenced the abandonment of their vehicles for the prospect of trying their luck at running away from Angel Grove.

And now there were so many people in the cracks that nobody or nothing could move. It was pure, utter madness.

Farkas shifted his eyes back to the rear view mirror, watching the two backseat passengers return his stare with their glassy haze. The shotgun still rested on Jason's lap as though to serve as a poignant reminder that something was seriously, seriously wrong. Kimberly was conscious, despite her injuries but she didn't seem 'awake'. She still had not said a word since they'd hit her in the alleyway.

Jason kept going to speak but nothing came out. Eugene remained evidently nervous in the passenger seat as though believing Jason was only moments away from picking up his deadly weapon and blowing both their heads off. Strangely enough, Farkas didn't think Jason or Kimberly meant them any harm. If Jason had wanted to kill them, he certainly wouldn't have let Farkas drive the car, for one thing.

Eugene's eyes crept over to Farkas once again, and the larger man shook his head. He twisted around and looked directly at Jason. "Is Kimberly okay?" he asked him, holding back on the temptation to reach out and even brush her leg.

Jason didn't even blink, his head hung slightly to the side. One of his hands moved over to the other as he began to absentmindedly scratch at the already tender skin of his wrist. Farkas couldn't help but grimace somewhat at the sight of all the sores and needle marks that were trampled randomly over the other man's arms.

"What happened to you both?" Farkas whispered more to himself.

Jason looked like he didn't hear, before he ran a hand to his face. "The power..."

"What does that mean?" Farkas asked him, his forehead creasing. "What's the power?"

Jason leaned forward slightly, forcing Farkas back a little as his eyes flashed with an argent glow.

"Don't let them find us," Jason spoke out evenly. "Don't let them."

Eugene turned around in his seat, sharing a quick look with Farkas.

"Who don't you want to find you?"

"Don't let them get the power," Jason responded, his eyes flashing again; for longer this time.

It should have been so completely mind-blowing to watch a set of human eyes glow in such an unearthly way, and yet to Farkas it stirred a strange familiarity; transported him back to times that he could vividly recall from his recent childhood.

Could it even be possible?

Farkas licked his lips. "This power you're talking about...do you guys have something to do with all these creatures running around the streets?" his mind flashed back five, six years earlier. "Do you guys have something to do with the power rangers?"

As though to confirm an answer, a painful, almost gasp-like noise sounded from Jason. Eugene grabbed onto Farkas' arm, the two officers disbelieving what they were seeing.

The power rangers were under their noses all along.

Farkas swallowed heavily and began to almost whisper, as though afraid that people could hear them. "Did you get injured?" his words slurred, and then raced up, a million thoughts accelerating through his mind. "We heard reports of some sort of fighting robot ship, on the radio...Who are you hiding from?"

Jason's eyes widened and his body jolted roughly, the gun slipping off his lap. Farkas courageously yanked it away and flicked his head around as a loud tapping sounded on his window. The visitor bent down and peered through the glass, his body draped in a sleek, black suit.

_Who the hell is this?_

Winding down the window, Farkas was forced to clear his throat several times as smoke and incessant noise flooded into the cabin of their car. "Can we help you, sir?"

The mystery man flicked open his wallet, flashing his identification. "We lost sight of your vehicle over an hour ago," the man explained. "We have a helicopter stationed nearby, ready to transport the both of you and your injured occupants to medical attention...the other power rangers have been attended to at a nearby facility, and the president, himself, has requested we bring you all in immediately."

Farkas could see the agony in Jason's reflection but had no choice but to follow orders.

* * *

_**An Unknown Building, California, USA**_

"_...with a damage bill that will climb well into the hundreds of millions, the more prominent question that remains unanswered is just how the city will cope with a loss of life that cannot be..."_

Tommy looked away from the tiny television screen and twisted around, his cautious eyes relaxing when he realized it was only Katherine who had walked in. His former teammate loosened the towel around her hair and pulled it free, releasing a messy pile of wet locks around her face.

She was shivering, and yet didn't seem to realize. Her clothes, the ones she'd been wearing since she'd first arrived at the IBI facility were completely drenched.

"You should get cleaned up Tommy, have a shower," she told him evenly.

Tommy looked away for a moment. "Where are the others?" he changed the subject, slowly building the courage to look back at her despondent gaze.

He could tell by her face that his stubbornness disappointed her. "They're coming now...but really Tommy, you should let them look at your burn marks, especially-."

"I'm fine," Tommy cut her off flatly, before he closed his eyes a little and sighed, but the apology he meant to offer her didn't come out.

It had been a little over two hours since unmarked helicopters had swooped down just outside of the IBI inferno. Initial instincts had pushed at them all to run and hide, but Tommy was weighted down by the body still resting limply in his arms, bronzed in a magnificent glow. She was dead, he knew it, but he didn't want to know it. And as the others began to flee for the nearby woods, pulling on him to follow, Tommy wasn't able to do what he knew was coming next.

Even now, he could cry at the thought of Rocky leaving Kimberly to the hungry flames, despite knowing that it was the only way to save them all. To protect one of the ten billion secrets and lies they'd been exposed to and been running from. He would never give those senseless assholes the opportunity to interfere with them again, to test them or to conjure up any more horror. The fire had been a hellish end to the nightmare, but it may have been the only thing to save them now.

Maybe.

"I hope you didn't let them touch you," he murmured suddenly, looking over at her for a response.

She frowned slightly, wrapping her arms over her stomach. "I just had a shower, that's all," she promised. "They offered to clean the cut on my neck and I let them do that, but that's all."

Tommy tried to relax his face. "What about the others?"

"They're only in the hallway, everyone's fine…we even showered together in our clothes and they left us alone-."

Tommy put a hand to his lips and walked slowly over to her. "We shouldn't talk about this here," he whispered, before he motioned around the room with his eyes. "We don't know who might be listening."

Katherine nodded unquestioningly. At such a close distance, he could see the tears in her eyes and it tugged at him.

"Tommy, how much do these people know about us?" she whispered to him emotionally. "That's the president standing outside that door- he knows we're the power rangers, but no one has mentioned anything else-."

They both turned around a little startled as the door clicked open and four blank faces walked into the room, followed by quite a sight to anyone- the President of the United States, dressed down and without his usual swarm of bodyguards on tail.

The older man walked straight up to Tommy and extended his hand. "Thomas Oliver?"

Tommy grabbed his hand eagerly, albeit weakly. "Mr. President," he acknowledged as he shook his hand.

"I hope you have all been looked after, have you had something to eat?"

"We're not hungry," Tommy murmured.

Katherine's eyes quickly escaped over to him, before she hastily elaborated presumptuously. "What he means to say, is that we're too tired to eat right now," she explained politely.

The president nodded, but Tommy's mind kept ticking over. It didn't matter that he was so fatigued or that he was probably starting to die from it. The adrenalin still flushed through his system regardless and that was what kept ripping at him.

The déja vu was powerful. They had managed to stumble from the watchful guard of one government faculty to another. This facility was nothing more than a makeshift camp set up in a old sports stadium and was just north of Angel Grove, but it was almost completely isolated.

And worst of all, Tommy had no idea whether the men in black suits who brought them here really gave a shit about them, or were setting them up for the crush all over again.

"I would like for us to go back to the IBI facility," he croaked out, unable to stop the grimace as his throat constricted somewhat.

President Holsworthy leveled a careful gaze. "I have been told that the facility has been declared off-limits to everyone, including the city's fire brigade- I have been told that there is a considerable risk of a catastrophic explosion."

Billy nodded his head. "It is my belief, Mr. President, that the facility's self-powering facilities are housing and indeed encouraging the inferno," he explained. "It is most definitely a sound idea to ensure that all civilians, militia and city service workers remain at a considerable distance for their own safety."

The older man appeared not so much comforted by Billy's words, but swayed; as though the former blue ranger was speaking gospel. Tommy couldn't resist pushing the fact further, knowing it was perhaps their last chance.

"But, we can hardly allow the facility to burn for days, potentially weeks," Tommy told them all. "It is our duty, more so than any other, to ensure this disaster is contained."

He could feel the eyes of his friends jerk at him inconspicuously, and he could 'read' their thoughts. They didn't have any power. They didn't have any freedom, any strength left to fight. They weren't capable of saving themselves, let alone the world at this point.

Rocky, in particular, was looking at him as though he had lost his mind, but everyone was either too afraid to speak up, or clearly too tired.

"Do you have a way of containing these fires?" the president queried, as he turned around and moved over to a nearby desk. "It was my understanding, from my briefing by IBI acting agent-in-charge Robert Johns that your powers were considerably incapacitated following the attacks last decade. I assumed this was the reason as to the delay in your response to this week's sudden attacks."

Tommy felt like he couldn't even swallow the small amount of saliva sitting at his throat. Robert Johns? That evil, deplorable son-of-a-bitch who had all but destroyed the city? Pillaged their lives?

Aisha and Katherine both looked at Tommy with a terror in their eyes that only he could understand.

"You've been receiving advice from Agent Johns?" Billy numbly inquired.

The president nodded, clearly oblivious of the exchange of horrified stares and holding of thickened breaths. "It had always been the hope of this government, at least, that we would have the opportunity to personally thank you for the invaluable service of protection you offered not only to Angel Grove, but the United States and the world as a whole. Agent Johns was responsible for much of that invaluable research back in the nineteen-nineties, as he was in our response to the attacks on Angel Grove this week."

_Another clone of him...the one who shot Kim?_

That thought alone made Tommy almost lose his composure.

"Is Agent Johns still here?" Tommy asked, trying not to grit his teeth. "Because I'd really like to personally thank him."

President Holsworthy shook his head. "We're unable to locate him at this point of time. I've been informed that he had plans to return to the facility, prior to anyone's knowledge of the fires...It is my hope that he is unharmed."

_That must have been him…_Tommy's mind flashed back to their discussion underground with the supposedly 'real' Robert Johns- he had told them there had been three clones of him that he was aware of. Did that mean now that all the bastards were dead? Or were there more out there that they didn't even know about?

Tommy stopped mid thought as a knock sounded from the other side of the door. He instantly swallowed, his eyes wondering over to his teammates who all looked as frazzled as he felt inside. Their bodies tensed as it slowly opened and two uniformed police officers stared back at them with two hauntingly familiar faces standing beside them.

* * *

He had traveled this road so many times before in his rather short 'life'- followed its solitary bends and felt the tires of his car tremble across its surface that was past-due for maintenance. It was the road that led to nowhere, to nothingness. Even the ugly, overgrown shrubbery from back closer to the outskirts didn't bother to extend to a path so useless. 

All around him was dust, a stony-colored continuum of dirt that the wind hadn't managed to pick up over time and take somewhere else. The wintry sun was barely clinging on, but he'd flicked the headlights of his car on miles ago. The smoke still remained clear in the reflection of his rear view mirror, forcing the day to blur too eerily into night.

It all came together to make his trip out of Angel Grove all the more appealing. Anything but lonely, anything but pointless.

It was difficult for Johns not to become so self-absorbed with the knowledge that he was the last of 'himself' in existence, at least for the short time. He'd never experienced it, being they had always had another one of them to transfer power or responsibility to along the way. Now he had the power, all to himself. It was intoxicating.

The red sun that followed his car still reminded him of the contrast of light against dark that he'd witnessed on his final, brief visit to the IBI facility before he'd left for good. Being careful not to be seen by the handfuls of morbidly curious onlookers, he had just stared at his crumbling castle in the distance knowing that his replica had succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.

The secret had remained buried beneath an inferno so intense that it had been declared completely off-limits to any breathing human being. It was nothing more than ash now, blowing about in the breeze as the fire remained fueled off their precious mentor. That, was a horrifying waste, but Johns wasn't a fool. There was no way humanly possible that they could have moved an alien trapped in a gigantic time warp thousands of miles across the ocean without inviting unwanted attention. It was Zordon, an extraterrestrial being so immensely powerful that he _was _thepower that allowed them to wipe out the past. Because of him, the fires would probably eat away at the charred remnants of the facility for weeks or even months from now.

Johns' reflections flicked between his relief and thoughts about what faced him and the project now. He had a ten-hour drive ahead of him to think about it all as much as he wanted. What was the meaning of the project anymore? It was all up to him now.

He had the humans and his accomplice. The only one he could trust, the only one whose brilliance hadn't been completely fucked-up by years of experimental procedures. Johns always thought that Hank Cranston had been so eccentrically gifted, but it was the knowledge his son had from his time as power ranger that made him more worthy to the agent. How he wished the real William Cranston was still alive to this day, but his carefully created and manipulated clone was the next best thing.

The humans were the only thing they needed now. With the life force of their mentor injected into their fragile veins, they would make the trip with Johns and Cranston to the island of Seréshis- back to where it all ended and then began. They would finally commence siphoning the power that lived in the island's soil and combined with Zordon's life force, they would become unstoppable.

Evil would be reborn again, just as it never should have died.

Why did he keep the project going? Why did he feel compelled to exist in such a way that meant nothing to Robert Johns? He had heard the real 'him' had been a leader in his day...A role model of sorts, the one who called the shots. He had started the project through a fondness for scientific advancement, yet more importantly to make amends for the 'mistake' that took place all those years ago on the island. His hesitation, though, led him to clone himself first- just to be sure.

That's where everything fell away and went wrong.

You shouldn't mess with life and you should definitely never play around with the dead. That was Robert Johns' most fatal mistake. All those years, all those clones. Curiosity is the essence of everything; you try something, it works; you think about how you could improve on that; you get something different, but equally promising.

Robert Michael Johns had been cloned in total three times. Yet how many mistakes occurred that destroyed the project from the inside as time went along? They cloned the dead rangers once and they were a triumph; they tried it again and the replicas died within four hours of being 'born'. The original clones of the alive humans were thought to be a success as well, yet five years down the track each of them practically bled to death from the inside because their manufactured bodies couldn't contain the power transfer.

And then there was the 'expansion' on techniques used; not just cloning, but the mutation of reconstructed, functional DNA from the dead and the living. That was where the whole 'playing God' stepped up to the next level. They literally molded together those characteristics most desirable. They'd attempted cross-cloning between alien DNA and human DNA. The results had been varied.

He...he had been perhaps the most successful of those. The strongest. The one who had reigned supreme.

He flicked another gaze into the rear-view mirror, realizing he wasn't as much of a clone as Robert Johns, but a clone of something else. Of an emperor, of an alien dictator. It might have been an effect from his merged, manufactured and ravaged mind, but he swore he saw his eyes flash with red.

The Zedd empire would rise and claim its rightful victory all in due time.

* * *

Katherine took in a sharp breath, she honestly couldn't help it. 

The others were all wide-eyed.

Tommy's entire body tensed to stone, the pools of his eyes restlessly bleeding with anxiousness.

_They must have been the clones that shot the police officers..._Katherine thought quickly, as she watched the president take an eager step toward their newest visitors.

"We're officers Farkas Bulkmeier and Eugene Skullovich...we were told to report directly to you, Mr. President."

Katherine moved up against Tommy and wrapped her hand around his, squeezing it tightly. The clones were in a disturbing state, both of them donned in identical hospital gowns that their Kimberly and Jason had been changed into when they'd arrived at the facility. But asides from the clothing, there were little other similarities; these clones were grossly malnourished, their bare limbs smudged excessively with blood and their hair ragged and overgrown.

It was almost too difficult to look at.

"Where were they located?" the President asked the two officers, his forehead creasing and his eyes clearly disturbed by the disheveled appearance of Kimberly and Jason.

Tommy suddenly squeezed Katherine's hand so tightly, that she almost gasped out in pain. "They were at the facility but were separated from us," he rushed out as he simultaneously threw his teammates a stern glance.

Katherine snapped her head his way, her lips parting but too rigid to speak out their confusion. She looked back at the president and then moved her eyes over to Farkas and Eugene, waiting for them to at least speak up in contrast to Tommy's lie.

"They obtained these injuries at the facility?" the president asked and the larger officer nodded swiftly.

"Yes, sir," Farkas confirmed.

_What is going on here, why are Bulk and Skull saying these things? _

The president seemed satisfied with their explanation of events, and motioned back out toward the door.

"If you will, please ensure they are taken to be cleaned up and attended to," the president directed the two officers, before he looked over at Tommy. "There are some matters I must attend to, will you all please get some rest and please inform any of my staff should you require anything."

Tommy nodded on behalf of the group as they watched the president and Eugene and Farkas leave with the Kimberly and Jason clones. Katherine waited as the door lazily closed behind them, before she spun around and locked her sights on their former leader.

"Tommy, what on Earth are you doing?" Aisha asked in a raised whisper. "You just lied to the President of the United States."

Tommy shook his head dismissively, but Katherine grabbed his arm before he could speak. "It's wrong for you to pretend that they are Kimberly and Jason, when they are both dead," she let out in a shaky voice, the emotion growing as she continued. "I know you're hurting, but I can't honestly stand here and pretend that they are them-."

"What? Clones?" Tommy cut her off, containing his composure enough to add. "They're no less human then _we_ are."

Katherine couldn't look him in the eyes, and cast her attention to Billy as he shuffled uneasily beside her. "What I don't understand, is why Bulk and Skull followed your lead in deception," he shared calmly. "Unless of course the two clones managed to find their way back to the facility...all though I find that highly unlikely, given their intent for freedom in the first place."

Tommy moved away from Katherine, brushing almost roughly past her, before settling a few feet away from the group. Seeing his almost disfigured head from behind, the poignant reminder of their 'real' selves and the discovery of their fatal pasts almost broke the moment for them all. Katherine could just feel it.

"Tommy, what haven't you told us?" Adam asked him quietly, as Tommy remained with his back turned to them.

Katherine waited as Tommy meekly turned to face them all.

"When Kim lied there, dying right in my arms, she told me not to trust anyone," he retold, careless to the fact that his eyes were watering. "If anyone knew that those two were clones, then we'd lose all control and they'd become nothing more than lab rats all over again."

Quiet contemplation for a moment.

Rocky sighed despondently. "Tommy, have you considered that maybe the president already knows the truth? After all, they were the two clones arrested for those shootings. And even if we are somehow able to convince the government and the world that they are the real Jason and Kimberly, then they'll only end up in prison for first-degree murder."

"We could argue that they shot those agents and the two police officers in a moment of insanity- both Kim and Jason were being treated for clinical depression and sleep disorders," Tommy stated defiantly.

Katherine's gaze narrowed at his admission. "I don't understand..." she admitted.

"How do you know that Kimberly and Jason were being treated for such things?" Aisha asked him.

Billy took a step forward. "I can confirm that we discovered information relating to both of them being treated by the same doctor in New York in records that were at the IBI facility- these documents indicated that they both suffered from insomnia, nightmares and eventually depression," he explained, before pursing his lips.

Tommy nodded gently, his face settling. "Jason never went into great details, but he was plagued by problems since Seréshis..." he sighed. "Kimberly was, too, but I didn't-." he stopped and shook his head at himself, before looking back at them. "None of that matters now- what does matter, is that we get out of here together. We can't stay here..."

"Yeah, but Tommy, the public is sure to know that we're rangers by now- none of this will stay hidden forever, and then what?" Aisha reasoned, approaching him with empathetic eyes.

Katherine closed her eyes, wishing away the closely approaching tears as she felt a hand rest on her shoulder.

"I've got a plan," Tommy announced, and Katherine lowered her hand from her face. "But for it to work, we need to be in this together..."

--

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

_**Teaser for Chapter 30 "No Return":**_

"What is it?" Katherine asked gently.

Her hand touched his free one, and he shook himself out of his trance. "That scar..." he paused, and tugged on Katherine's hand, motioning for her to move around.

_AN#2 – A LONG chapter. More clarification and answers in the next one. I know, I know, the Johns' scene was frighteningly left field, but remember we haven't seen much at all on this particular replica of the agent. Zordon is, by Johns' account, the reason why the IBI facility is burning out of control. And I know, it seems like the president doesn't know about the clones shooting the government officials earlier in the story...but that will be dealt with later. Many things, can only be assumed at this point from this chapter and this has been deliberately done so. Any questions, feel free to send them my way, but I have answers for everything, don't worry about that :-)_


	30. No Return

**Existence**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 30 – No Return**

_A/N- I'm really, genuinely sorry for the delay in posting- never had I intended to leave things for a period of weeks. But, I am back, and hopefully with my head screwed back on tight. What can I say, things have been mad- almost as crazy as these stories we love to write and read. Having my notebook comp stolen made a rather large mess of my stories, but I think I'm back and ready to salvage what I can. A big thanks to Mali for her encouragement and for babying me. :-)_

* * *

Tommy hesitated for a moment and then rattled his knuckles on the ajar door, pushing it open the remainder of the way as he heard the commanding voice invite him in. 

The president glanced up from a pile of papers, his expression still and void of emotion. Tommy, despite everything pumping in his veins and in his brain offered the older man a smile of some sort, bowing his head briefly at a uniformed officer who stood stationed in the corner of the small, makeshift room.

"I apologize for the interruption, Mr. President," Tommy offered politely.

"Please sit, Mr. Oliver," the older man gestured to a chair. "Or would you prefer I address you as white ranger?"

Tommy reluctantly lowered himself into the chair, clasping his hands together. "Tommy is just fine," he replied honestly.

The president quietly dismissed the security guard, before he removed his glasses, rubbing his eyes thoughtfully. "How can we assist you, Tommy?"

Tommy sucked in a lengthened breath. "I've been discussing the issues of the out of control fires at the IBI facility with my teammates. We believe that we're best equipped to go to ground zero- to closely inspect and monitor the situation so that we can substantiate a way to deal with it in a safe manner, before it turns into a much larger catastrophe."

The older man studied him for a moment, before he slid his glasses back on. "I confess that I know and understand little of what you do all do, Mr. Oliver; but from the point of view of human welfare, I will be forthright and admit I am both dismayed and saddened by the physical states of your teammates. I had always been under the impression that your powers prevented you from obtaining such debilitating injuries," he shook his head a little. "Please forgive me if I am overstepping my authority in this situation, but are you certain you are ready to return to your duties?"

Tommy was honestly overwhelmed by the president's genuine honesty and poignant show of respect; but at the same time, his deteriorating state of awareness had been too run down for him to react with any emotion, even to show his appreciation. All he could think of was his teammates and how he owed it to them.

How he was going to set them all free.

This…was only the first step of many.

He licked his lips. "We've been through so many difficult times in the past…this time, is like many of those, only we don't have an option but to keep fighting…It's what we've always stood for. This is in the interest of everybody," he added, his eyes lowering a notch.

The president nodded. "I will not stand in your way, please let me know how we can assist you in the task, however possible."

"Transport, to the facility, would be greatly appreciated," Tommy asked.

"Of course," president Holsworthy replied impetuously. "I can arrange for you to be transported back to site via air."

"Thank you," Tommy responded genuinely, slowly standing up from the chair. His muscles screamed for him to remain still, to lessen their movement. How he craved to feel the manufactured ranger armor wrapped back around his limbs again, feeding to him the healing pulse that had eased so much of his agony.

With a brief handshake and final exchange of words, Tommy turned around and exited the room, silently acknowledging the guard who was standing just outside the door. Walking in almost tip-toe, he headed back down the lonely hall, stopping as he came to a corner.

He let his eyes venture inconspicuously down to the left, stopping as they landed on Billy and Katherine who were standing and waiting for his sign, just as planned. Taking a deep breath, he offered them a discreet nod of the head, signaling that the final plan was set in motion.

* * *

Billy could hear the steady pounding of water from a short distance up the old school hall and he continued on with Katherine in its direction, surprising even himself just how anxious he was. He hadn't expected everything to go so smoothly; he hadn't expected to see Tommy signaling them to push on so quickly. It all came together to prove that the president – his government at least, had no idea just what had really transpired at the IBI facility. 

That the secret of who they really were still remained intact.

And for the life of him, Billy had no idea how that was remotely possible. For a government faculty to destroy so many basic morals, to exist in such a blatantly corrupt fashion went against everything that he had believed their country had stood for; dishonesty was nothing new in politics, but this put an entirely new spin on the evils of power.

Still, Tommy had set them a task to do and the outcome of that was all Billy could focus on as he entered the change room with Katherine closely behind him. From a quick glance, it was obvious the room was empty of non-ranger presence.

"They must be in the shower," Katherine whispered, as she gestured over to the stall where they had both showered themselves, only a couple of hours earlier.

The steam beaded at his brow and Billy grabbed onto the shower curtain, pulling it open, before stepping back into Katherine.

Katherine grabbed onto his arm, the two friends staring disheartedly at the two, shivering forms huddled together in the furthest corner of the shower. The water was only just managing to hit the toes of their bare feet while their limbs were bunched together, covered in their drenched hospital gowns.

It was distressing to watch. They were seemingly soulless clones, but it was still too difficult for him to comprehend. Sighing sadly, Billy leaned over and under the shower's spray, turning the taps off, before he gestured for Katherine to fetch some towels.

"Here you go," Katherine passed him one, starting apprehensively at the clones. "We really need to change them out of those gowns…it looks terrible."

Billy knelt down, watching the clone of Jason carefully, assessing his response to his approach. "I don't think there's anything here to change them into...we might just have to try and dry them as best as we can…" he sighed. "We're running out of time."

Katherine nodded, before they both moved onto the difficult task of getting the clones of their former teammates out of the shower. Just getting them to stand was a challenge enough, but despite their mental incapacitation and obvious fear, they eventually complied with their gentle prodding and pulling.

They helped them both slump to the center of the tiled floor, staring around with lost expressions.

"You do Kimberly and I'll do Jason," Billy directed Katherine, as they both kneeled behind their designated clone.

Billy could see Katherine's apprehension, but he guided his eyes quickly away and began to untie the ties of Jason's gown. The knots were frustratingly tight, the thin strands of fabric so heavily deformed that as Billy finally managed to undo them, he had to wonder how long they'd made him wear it for.

Katherine released a breathy grimace. "Oh my goodness...look what they did to them..."

The bare flesh of their backs were like the surface of a pin cushion, rings of red and blue painfully blistering and bruising around the countless spread of needle marks.

Billy swallowed heavily, not knowing what to say; not knowing how to respond. "These marks must be from all the testing they did on them…" his sentence trailed off as the clone of Kimberly suddenly lashed a weak arm out toward Katherine.

Katherine flinched a little in response and Billy sighed, shuffling over to help her. As much as he didn't feel right doing so, helping Katherine at this point of time was the only thing that would keep their task on track. He carefully placed his hands on both of the clone's shoulders, holding her still while Katherine began the hurried task of drying her exposed body.

Billy's eyes wondered around, falling on the petite, malnourished frame before him. He didn't want to touch her. It was literally killing him inside just acknowledging what these poor people had suffered.

Billy bit his lip, his downcast eyes stopping as they noticed a different mark on her back, one in a completely different shape to all the others.

It couldn't be.

Billy shot his hand down, resting it on Kimberly's bare back. Despite Katherine's look of confusion, he let his fingers brush gently over the three-inch long mark, oblivious to the way in which his touch was making the clone shiver.

"What is it?" Katherine asked gently.

Her hand touched his other one, and he shook himself out of his trance. "That scar..." he paused, and tugged on Katherine's hand, motioning for her to move around.

"What?" she asked again gently.

Billy gestured to the pinkish scar that ran a length from the clone's spine to her side. "She has the scar, the one Kimberly got during one of our earlier battles," he said.

Katherine's eyes narrowed. "Billy, I don't understand what you're trying to say," she admitted.

Billy shuffled on his knees. "When Kimberly was injured underground and we were cleaning her wounds, Tommy noticed that she no longer had that scar- that was why he was suspicious that she had been a clone," he recalled. "And then we learned or believed at least that we were all clones, but..." he had to stop, as he covered his mouth in disbelief. "What if neither Kimberly nor Jason died on Seréshis, Kat?"

"Billy-."

"What did we observe in both of them, as well as Trini and Zack that the rest of us didn't experience?" he asked her, cutting her off.

Katherine looked at him blankly for a moment, before she moved to tuck some hair behind her ear. "They were both glowing...Jason seemed to become unwell the longer we were there...but I thought that was a cover-up? Nothing more than a lie they told us to get us there in the first place."

Robert Johns' lies had made it impossible for so long to tell facts from fiction, but Billy knew he couldn't ignore the science. "The technology used by the IBI meant that the clones – us – are exact genetic replicas, but without any consequences obtained by our bodies during our lifetime, including injuries, marks and scars…" he lowered his hand from Kimberly's back. "I remember this cut like it happened to Kimberly yesterday…I remember how upset she'd been because it had bled onto one of her favorite tops," he stopped and shook his head quickly.

"Oh my goodness," Katherine whispered, covering her mouth with her hand. "That means this is the real Kimberly and Jason," she realized.

Billy swallowed, before he valiantly reached for Katherine's shoulder, squeezing it with a gentle force. "We need to get them out of here, right away..."

Katherine nodded, and they hurried with an intensity that neither knew they probably had left. The tears filled the very pit of Billy's insides. He felt the puzzle visualize before him and as he finished drying the back of the original red ranger, he felt on the brink of real tears. He hadn't a single doubt in his own theory, but the realization dawned with it an even greater horror than learning it was _really _Jason before him; _really_ Kimberly beside him.

It meant that there was an unquestionable chance that Trini and Zack had been kept alive all these years and Billy didn't even want to think about what their fate was.

* * *

Johns rested his elbow on the door frame, lowering his ear to where his cell sat perched in his hand. The line rang only once; twice, before the other man answered, without offering any greeting. 

"It's me," Johns murmured into the phone. "I've just passed through Ivanhoe."

The other line remained silent, irritating the agent somewhat. "Did I call you at a bad time?"

"No," the other man replied swiftly, yet without confidence. All though somehow, Johns had always found the younger man to be somewhat lacking in the buoyancy department.

"I can report that it's all been taken care of...expertly, I am pleased to say," Johns reported, thinking back to Angel Grove- The IBI inferno; the cover-up.

"Where are you?"

Again, the other man's response took time to sound. "I'm going through the container now...Something doesn't seem right..."

Johns lifted his foot off the accelerator a little, knowing he had a tendency for driving too fast when he was pissed off. "What doesn't look right?" he asked through gritted teeth. "You idiots had a week to get this shit together- what could you possibly forget?"

"We didn't forget anything...we've lost something is what we did, but I had nothing to do with it- I thought you said you got the humans out of the facility last week?"

Johns frowned. He was growing restless. This was exactly the God-damned reason why he didn't like having to depend on others to fuck everything up for him. "They were taken out to port last Thursday- Have you checked the cages properly? I asked those assholes to leave them some water and bread..." his sentence trailed off as he listened to random movement on the other end of the line. "You find them dead, your head will roll-."

"They're not in here!" the other man's voice cut him off forcibly. "The Asian and the African-American are here, but I can't find the other two- the other cages are empty-."

Johns roughly jerked the car to the side of the road, cursing ten words at a time that muffled into an inaudible exclamation. "Are you telling me they just disappeared? Where the fuck are they? They're God-damned retards, William!"

More noise ruffled about from the other end; banging, grunting, outbursts of frustration... "Are you sure they took them?" William Cranston- a clone – finally asked, his words carefully pushed beneath his madness.

Johns squeezed the phone within his palm. "The four of them were taken out together. I was told there were some minor hiccups along the way, but that they were taken care of."

"And you don't think it's a coincidence that two clones of Hart and Scott escaped that Friday and were filmed shooting down IBI agents?" Cranston's voice filtered through.

Johns turned the engine of his car off and stared absently through the windscreen for a moment. "I was told those clones escaped from inside the facility..." he seethed as his throat tightened. He lowered the phone from his ear for a moment, before putting it back up to speak. "I ordered agents to shoot them down...".

Johns was unable to find his voice. It was as though his plans were shattering before his very face, as though like so many countless times before in his life- in the life of the emperor's- something refused to let him win. Could they have possibly wasted bullets on two of their most prized possessions?

No, it was a guarantee.

"It doesn't matter..."

"What doesn't matter?" Cranston's voice returned to him with controlled distaste.

"Plans will go ahead unchanged," Johns decided, as he turned the key, starting the car into a gentle purr. "Trini and Zack will both have enough power for us to push forward and continue with all that we discussed. I shall do some inquiries over the phone just to ensure that Kimberly and Jason really are dead..."

"And how do you plan on obtaining that information? If you put the call in, you'll blow your cover story and they'll know you're still alive," Cranston put it to him.

"There is still a clone of your father wandering about the scene, dear William," Johns explained with self-satisfaction. "He will prove most useful at this time; we will just have to dispose of him at a later stage..."

He heard William sigh with settled satisfaction. "A solid plan, my lord."

Johns chuckled a little, before he ended the call and steered his vehicle back onto the long stretch of road, dialing the number of Hank Cranston from the top of his head.

* * *

The sound of the helicopter's spinning blades, carrying the craft on route for the IBI inferno was so damn loud, that Adam couldn't hear a word Tommy was saying. He didn't even know he was claustrophobic until he followed his leader, Rocky and Aisha into the windowless cabin and now, he was starting to panic a little. Inside. He was trying not to show it, but his face must have been so transparently twisted. 

He rubbed at his eyes, his hand dropping slightly as the floor below them dipped unexpectedly.

"Adam," Rocky cocked his chin, frowning heavily. "What's wrong?"

Adam shook his head. "Nothing," he all but mumbled, sliding in closer to their tight circle. Aisha looked up at him with...sadness. And he had to wonder a few things himself.

Like how long it would be before Rocky's steel would die off a bit. They'd been friends for how many years? Thirteen. Yet he didn't even know him anymore and it wasn't that Adam thought it was a bad thing, but it had thrown him off the whole time they'd been at the IBI facility. Even now, he could feel the frown settle on his face. And he was avoiding Tommy's gaze altogether.

Because he knew the former white ranger felt like he had so much to prove and in a way Adam wanted to stand up to him and tell him that what he was making them do was wrong. Aisha had every reason in the world to look so torridly shaken. They didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. They had a whole heap of memories, but even Adam couldn't trust those.

Who knew just how much of what they remembered of their pasts was one, epic lie? Manufactured. Pretend. Make-believe.

God...how he wished he'd called his mother that night before his shift started. The day the IBI had taken them away.

"Adam? Adam, are you getting this?"

Adam blinked, only just catching Rocky's voice over the helicopter's humming. "I'm sorry, I wasn't listening," he admitted, sighing to himself. "I was thinking about my mother."

Aisha's hand crawled the small distance between them and squeezed his, as Tommy looked at him like someone had burst his bubble.

"We're gonna be at the facility soon, Ad; we really need to get our plan together," Rocky told him.

Adam swallowed, feeling his face twist bitterly. "I've got the fundamentals of the plan," he assured his friend, shaking his head. "But before Tommy asks us all to run off to Mexico and start a new life, I thought I would give myself a few minutes to pretend this madness isn't really happening and to think about everything I'm leaving behind. My mother, for one thing."

"I'm not making you do anything," Tommy's voice was lowly, carrying contrastingly through the noise. "I know how much your mother means to you, Adam-."

Adam turned his head away, not wanting to show the building emotion, yet knowing he had nowhere to hide.

"We can do this, Adam," Aisha whispered, edging toward his face. "You know this is the best thing, not for us, but for those that we love. Your mother will be safe and she will live with a pride in her heart for you that can never be taken away."

Adam squeezed his eyes shut, breathing in slow, steady breaths as he felt his composure slowly -gratefully- return.

"Are you all right?" Tommy asked him gently and Adam valiantly looked his friend in the eye.

"I'm sorry, I just…" he sighed. "I used to think we were so brave, saving the planet and doing all those crazy things…but this…I just hope we can pull it off."

Tommy nodded with clear determination. "We need to stay together as a group…we tell them that we're going to check it out and as soon as we can determine that we're out of sight, we go for it. We're not going to have any time to hesitate-."

His sentence stopped, as they all felt the floor below them drop slightly. Hearing the helicopter's propellers whirl through a different frequency of sound, Adam had no doubt in his mind that they had reached their destination

Crunch time.

Adam slowly moved from his seated position, waiting until he felt the craft land with a slight thud, before he motioned for the others to follow his lead. As the door from the cabin was opened from the outside, drawing wide and inviting a burst of thick smoke and airy heat, he immediately moved to pull the top of his shirt over his nose and mouth.

"We're going to have to move the helicopter further back!" the pilot told them, his voice at the level of a yell as he tried to force it above all the noise. "We're too close here!"

Adam moved a little as Tommy scurried over to his side, shooting a gestured hand out toward the man. "You're right to drop us here," he assured him.

"I can't wait for you this close to the fire," the man hurried back, as a blustery wind muffled his words. "Occupational health and safety would have my ass!"

Tommy grabbed onto Adam, motioning for him to get out of the helicopter. The black ranger complied and slid out, turning around to help Aisha down. He kept a close eye on Tommy as the white ranger immediately set task on continuing the conversation with pilot, before the government worker scurried to the front of the helicopter.

"What's he doing?" Rocky asked exasperatedly, as Aisha started to cough.

Adam looked about nervously, shifting his lethargic eyes from his leader to the pilot as the government worker headed back toward them after a minute or so.

"You don't need to stay with us," Tommy started to tell the man, gesturing widely in the direction of the facility.

"That's not what I've just been told," the pilot explained. "I've just had a call and have been ordered to take you all back to camp now."

Aisha shot Adam a look of horror as Tommy's whole body visibly tensed. "With all due respect, our credentials speak louder than any bureaucratic advice you've been handed," he stated firmly. "We're here to do our job."

The pilot appeared largely pissed-off at Tommy's comment and reached for the radio fastened to his belt.

"Look, the president himself permitted us access to this site," Tommy reasoned. "He ordered you to fly this helicopter here, didn't he?"

"Yeah, and he's also the one that just sent communication to me a mere thirty-seconds ago informing me there's been a change of plans," the pilot explain matter-of-factory.

Adam could feel his insides turn. He could feel it. The dé ja vu.

"And what change of plans would those be?" Rocky asked.

The pilot shook his head. "Look, I'm just the messenger," he explained. "I'm sure the President and IBI will be happy to explain them to you when you all arrive-."

The end of his sentence was knocked off and obliterated, as a loud noise rattled and combusted in direction of the burning building. They all ducked instinctively, shielding their heads and huddling together, before courageously sneaking glances back in its direction.

_It's gonna explode, it's gonna explode, it's gonna explode…_

"We have to go, now!" the pilot yelled, scrambling to his feet and heading for the driver's cabin.

"Tommy, what are we going do?" Adam asked, trying to keep his voice down. "The facility could explode at any moment-."

"I'm not letting any of you go back to them," Tommy declared intensely, the words slipping out like whispers stabbing them over and over again. "I will cover for you all, but I need you all to run for that fire- now."

Adam watched Rocky's eyes darken. "No way, Tommy. Billy and Kat are depending on us to meet up with them...we're a team, we stick together-."

"Yeah, and I'm the fucking leader," Tommy cut him off, surprisingly emotionally, before his face turned. "You know where my uncle's hut is," he looked at Adam. "Take Aisha and head there now."

Time stood still. Not literally, but within the depths of the black ranger's mind that deliberated with everything he knew and everything he could remember. Was Tommy really trying to be the hero now, at a moment where they all needed to be heroes? Could his self-sacrifice be enough to set them free, even though they'd never be free without him?

"No," Adam shook his head, as he heard the helicopter's pilot call out to them. "I'm not leaving you...you're my friend Tommy and I would rather die than live knowing I went against my better instincts."

Tommy rubbed his face, as Aisha grabbed onto his hand, stepping up to him. Adam couldn't hear what she was saying, but as his eyes stared aimlessly through the smoky haze, Adam saw the one thing that would make their minds up for them.

"Guys, there's more of them!" Adam hissed, grabbing Aisha's arm, and extending his other into the sky. "They must be coming for us."

Tommy twisted his head as they all looked at the looming helicopters with an inexpressible doom.

"You're coming with us," Adam told him, stepping up to him. "We'll be heroes together or we'll die together, but either way we're going...now."

Tommy pursed his lips, before he nodded, looking to each of them. "Are you sure you guys are ready for this? Once we start, we can't go back. Ever."

They all nodded sullenly, distractingly, miserably, with fear and then with Rocky leading the way, they exploded into a sprint of what could be the last ticking moment of their lives.

It was do or die.

--

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

_**Teaser for Chapter 31 "Feigned Freedom":**_

That was never a promise.

"Tommy!" Aisha's voice was sharp, minced amongst the crackling that encircled him, threatening to gnaw into his very skin.

Maybe this was how it was all supposed to end.

_A/N2: Basically, Billy and Katherine have discovered the 2 clones of Jason and Kim- the 2 that shot the IBI agents near the start of the story and have been on the run ever since are indeed the real Jason and Kim. The IBI has apparently been holding them alive as part of their project since the disaster on __Seréshis __. It can also be assumed from this chapter that the IBI also abducted the real Trini and Zack at some stage and have been holding them captive as well for a considerable period of time. Meanwhile, Agent Johns/Zedd has realized that his plans to take the alive, imprisoned rangers (Kim, Jason, Zack and Trini) with him to Seréshis to regain a power source have been stung, because Kim and Jason escaped. If you remember back to earlier chapters, Agent Johns (one of his clones) ordered agents to shoot down clones that had escaped, but he obviously did not realize at the time that they weren't clones that had escaped- they were the real Jason and Kim. He assumes they're dead...hopefully, he won't find out that they're alive...That's a recap of this chapter for those of you who don't get it, which I understand lol Cheers to you all._


	31. Feigned Freedom

**EXISTENCE**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 31 – Feigned Freedom**

_A/N- Thanks to everyone for their reviews and their patience with my updating routine which hasn't been as frequent as was in the past (not to mention I've been experiencing problems with this site). We're down to the final few chapters now, folks :-) Another longer chapter ahead. Well wishes to you all and thanks for reading!_

* * *

Farkas scurried down the steps, taking two at a time, avoiding the heavy stare that followed his back as he made his way out of the presidential make-shift facility. He could feel the heat literally bubbling beneath his collar; as though steam would have began to spurt out from his ears if they were in some silly cartoon show. 

But alas, the situation was anything but comical or lighthearted.

"Farkas?" Eugene called out to him half a dozen times, as he remained a few steps behind his friend's agitated gait.

Farkas finally stopped short, keeping his back to Eugene for a moment while he tried to untwist his features.

"We need to go back in there," Eugene moved in front of him. "We can't just see all of that and then pretend it didn't happen."

Farkas twisted his lips again, only just avoiding rolling his eyes for greater effect. "Don't you get it, Eugene? This is the government we're talking about here…they don't tell people like you or I anything. That must have been what Jason was talking about in the car…"

Eugene frowned and shook his head. "What? They weren't trying to do anything bad to them…They looked like they were trying to help them."

Farkas shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out a lonely key ring with one numbered tag. Glancing around the parking lot, he began his lackluster search of registration plates, ignoring his friend's almost child-like mannerisms.

Determining the car they'd be loaned to return to Angel Grove wasn't before him, Farkas began in his heavy stride once more, pacing toward the corner of the abandoned school. To Farkas' surprise, there was a complete lack of security outside the building, with even an absence of guards stationed at the entrance and exits. It was unnervingly quiet. The dark night sky was all the more lonely in this place; a feeling not owed singly to the lifeless location, but to the spot inside of him that regretted handing over Jason and Kimberly earlier that day.

What the hell had happened to those two- to the others- Farkas wasn't sure, but he guessed the night wouldn't bring with it any more answers. They were the delivery boys. They'd surrendered the goods, and were now being told to leave.

All they got was a "thanks" from some costumed big-shots that weren't even man enough to shake their hands.

Not to mention, what _were_ those looks from their former classmates? The power rangers. Why weren't they doing more, going back to Angel Grove and actually finishing their job? Why were they choosing to stand around in some run-down former high school as though they'd never been touched with extraordinary powers in their lives?

"Maybe they gave you the wrong key?" Eugene suggested, as Farkas continued up ahead.

Farkas didn't slow. He followed the towering walls of the main building, noticing more unmarked vehicles parked along the fence. The night's blanket showered them more so, as a lack of lights gave way to the solitary hour, breaking only as shadows uncharacteristically shuffled ahead.

Farkas grabbed onto his belt, quickening his pace, opening his mouth to call out-.

"Don't!" A familiar face jumped out from the camouflage of the wall, throwing his hands up before him. "It's just us!"

Farkas squeezed his holster unnervingly, glancing sideways at Eugene, before looking back at Billy Cranston.

"What are you doing, standing out here alone in the dark?" Farkas asked him, his gaze zipping over the other man's shoulders as he heard further movement elsewhere.

Billy didn't respond, his glazed eyes instead settling somewhere randomly. "Did they ask you both to leave?" he asked instead, his voice remaining in a numb whisper.

Farkas frowned a little and nodded. "We were handed our marching orders...I'll take a stab at it and guess where not in the same league as others here."

Billy shuffled uncomfortably "Can I ask why you brought Kimberly and Jason here?"

Random. Was the former gifted student even listening to anything Farkas was saying?

"Some government worker found us stuck on the 405 and told us the president wanted to see them," Eugene went right into his explanation. "All though, Jason...he really didn't want to go, but they were pretty messed up from fighting those creatures or something."

Billy sighed lengthily, running a hand over his hair, before he looked Farkas directly in the eyes. "I need you both to help us," his voice cracked, his features unbearably strained, before he motioned with a slight flick of his head. "We all do..."

Farkas glanced over Billy's shoulder, watching in confusion as three forms stepped out from the shadows up ahead, their faces bleeding with mirrored despair.

"How do you want us to help you exactly?" Farkas asked Billy. "Where are Tommy and the others?"

"Katherine, Kimberly, Jason and I are the only ones left here. The others have made their break for it..." he shook his head, as though he were having trouble speaking. "We need to get as far away from here as possible and as close to the Theodore hills as we can manage."

Eugene began to voice his confusion immediately. "Why would you want to go there, there's nothing even-."

Farkas shot a hand out in front of his friend, looking back at Billy. "Are you going to explain to us why you're running away?" he asked the man gently.

Billy's eyes remained steeled, as Katherine stepped up beside him, Jason and Kimberly remaining a step or so behind. As Billy went to speak, noise was heard from elsewhere- from inside the building somewhere, all though it wasn't clear. The sounds were muffled and inconsistent.

They drew a panic from Kimberly, who turned sharply, falling into a heap on the tarred surface, whimpering out loud. Jason didn't move a muscle. Billy responded quickly and hurried over to help the young woman up, holding onto her tenderly, before he looked Farkas dead in the eyes.

"We need to go before anyone sees us here."

Farkas nodded quickly, pacing over to the cars parked nearby, scouring their number plates for the one that matched the combination inscribed on his key. Locating the right vehicle, he hurried to unlock the doors, flagging his arm about wildly for them to follow.

Katherine and Eugene assisted Kimberly, while Billy struggled to get Jason to follow. They all moved painfully. Farkas could hear the pattering of something in the distance, but he pushed it away and climbed into the driver's seat, waiting as Billy, Katherine, Jason and Kimberly squished into the back seat.

He turned over the engine. "Does anyone know where we are, exactly?" he asked, looking over to Eugene, and then back at Billy.

"I believe this was the former Leeton high school campus, but I'm unfamiliar with the most discreet route from here..." Billy started, his sentence trailing off as Kimberly let out a random, harrowing moan and proceeded to knock her forehead on the window beside her.

"Billy, stop her!" Katherine quickly pleaded.

"Just drive, Bulk!" Billy let out sharply. "Now!"

* * *

They had entered the part of the race- the run for their lives – where everything around them died to slow motion. 

Tommy was pushing through the pain flaring in his legs, as he stumbled after his teammates, watching the scenery around them transform with every frantic step. The contrast between the looming inferno and the night's canopy above was surreal, and as they ran and ran and ran, the variance became so strong that it was dizzying.

Where they were running to, Tommy didn't know.

The sounds of the threatening helicopters were obliterated by the fire's storm, and as Tommy watched Rocky grab hold of the perimeter fence of the facility, it almost became too much.

The disorientation.

"Quick! There's a break in the fence down here!" Rocky yelled at the top of his lungs, pulling on Aisha to follow his lead.

Tommy moved after Adam, feeling the jagged metal of the fence pull and claw at his shirt as he squeezed through the hole. Falling out onto the dirt at the other side, he could only remain on his knees, staring out into the fire's open mouth with tears and sweat flushing from his skin.

Adam grabbed onto Aisha, holding her into him as though his single embrace could protect her from what they'd stumbled into.

Rocky was running about sporadically, clearly in desperate search for where to push on to next- so they could keep going. Keep running. So they could live. So they wouldn't find them. So they wouldn't die.

Tommy could only watch him for so long, before he numbly straightened his shaking knees to standing. "Rocky!" he shouted out. "Rocky, stop!"

The former red ranger spun around, the skin of his face red- his eyes ablaze with ferocity. "We need to keep moving!" Rocky started pacing toward him.

Tommy looked at the wide, high-sweeping netherworld before them, knowing it was pointless.

There was no where else to run.

Aisha began to cough, and turned sharply, her face twisted painfully. "Tommy, there's no where else to go!" she cried- almost crying, pulling free from Adam.

Tommy covered his face with his dirty palms. "I know..." he looked up, looking at each of them with defeat. "I'm sorry," was all he could say, but he doubted the sound came out. "I shouldn't have...made you follow my lead."

Rocky shook his head viciously. "We are not going back to them, do you hear me? I will jump in that fire alive before I let them touch us again!"

Adam looked as though he were struggling to breathe and find the words to speak. "We could try climbing back out of the fence, finding a way around...it's dark, we could use the heavy foliage as camouflage until daybreak."

Rocky shook his head swiftly. "We can't risk them getting us-."

"And so what, Rocky?" Adam snapped back, stalking over to him and inching toward his face. "What, huh? We should all be brave like you and burn ourselves alive? It doesn't matter that we've fought this far- that some of us have a life that we don't want to give up!"

Rocky grabbed hold of Adam's shirt and jerked him hard. Tommy moved to intervene, but Adam pushed out a free hand before lowering his head. Breathing heavily, he stared back at Rocky, and then to Tommy, regathering himself as Rocky struggled to find his own composure.

Aisha looked over at the three men with the softest set of eyes, visibly crying before she managed to raise her tired arm toward the fence. "Please..." she trembled, eyes squeezing shut, and then reopening. "I don't want to die like this."

Tommy knew that she was right, and perhaps it was the realization looming on him at that moment, that was what he didn't see back in Seréshis. To want to live at any cost was human nature; to not want to experience pain, to not want to let go of your grip on existence. But when was the cost of that effort so great that it turned on you and took away the one thing you were fighting for from the start?

"Come on!" Tommy decided, motioning for them to follow him back toward the gaping hole in the tall barricade.

Tommy waited until he was sure they were following, and quickened his pace, reaching out for the tightly crossed wire. Grabbing on and lifting his legs over, he was only half way out, when unknown sets' of eyes locked in on him from the other side. Their faces responded in urgency and bodies leapt out from within the foliage, calling out to him.

"Thomas Oliver!" one of the men yelled out.

Aisha shrieked loudly and Tommy instinctively pushed himself back inside the boundary fence, scrambling backwards into his friends. They huddled tightly into each other, stepping back numbly as they watched the small group of government agents proceed to follow them into the fenced-off inferno.

The fire's roar from only a short distance behind was all Tommy could hear. His whole body was shaking, despite the unbearable temperature lapping his skin. Clinging onto Aisha and Adam, they continued to step back until their backs came up against the fire's barricade.

They were cornered.

"Why are you chasing us like this?" Tommy suddenly yelled out, as he watched the five agents struggle to find their footing and composures in light of the heat's brutality.

"Rangers!" one of the men managed to bark back, shielding his eyes with the length of his arm. "Where is the rest of your team?"

Tommy frowned, taken off guard by the question. "Why are you chasing us down like this?" he yelled back.

Aisha dropped like a stone, slumping to her knees, the scene too overwhelming. Tommy was too afraid to remove his cautious eyes from the agents and didn't console her, despite his automatic urge to do so.

"You're looking for the rest of our team?" Rocky abruptly spat out, gesturing wildly. "They're dead! They burnt to death and if you want to stand around here chatting about like we're all old buddies, then we can all add ourselves to the list!"

Tommy's heart was pounding. He chose not to contradict Rocky's lie.

"We've been ordered to take you back to the president's camp…for you own safety!" the agent yelled back.

One of the agents removed a gun from their holster, and raised it toward them. Light from the fire reflected and danced across the man's chest, highlighting the emblem on his jacket as clear as day.

…_IBI… _

"Who put in this request?" Tommy demanded, his gut turning.

"These orders came directly from President Holsworthy! He's asked us to take you back to his temporary base in Sunchester for your own protection!"

Tommy's eyes instantly darkened. It was a lie. The president's camp was established in Leeton, not Sunchester…and why would the president want them to return to base, after he all ready agreed with Tommy to let them leave?

Not wanting to turn his head, Tommy's eyes slipped over to Rocky, the fear contorting his features. "It's a lie...they're lying," his lips traced.

And like a wild animal, the harrowing roar blearing from his mouth, Tommy could only stare in a daze as Rocky exploded toward the agents in fury. Everything fell into slow motion again, as Tommy heard the aimed gun disperse and the disorientation overwhelmed him all over again...

* * *

_**The Presidential Temporary Camp**_

_**Leeton, California.**_

The sound of tapping was all too common, and yet in such a pressing time, it seemed to borderline on hyper-frequency, as though the incessant sound never ceased.

President Holsworthy felt tempted to raise his hand from the desk before him and turn the visitor away, but instead he sighed resignedly and called out for them to enter.

"Gerald," Anthony Horner greeted evenly, stepping only a short distance into the makeshift office. "I come with news."

The president looked down at the papers before him, before he signaled the security guard posted at his side to turn down the nearby radio blaring news direct from Angel Grove.

"No new sightings of aliens, I hope?" he queried flatly.

His old friend and trusted staff member shook his head, his eyes glazing over with a deep confusion. "I am uncertain if it is due only to the extreme conditions, but we've lost all communication with Johnson and the rangers…both radio and tracking signals are offline."

A frown befell Holsworthy's face, as he studied his comrade for a moment. Moving his lips, he was about to speak in turn as another figure appeared behind Anthony.

"I apologize for the interruption, Mr. President," the newly arrived visitor greeted. "But this cannot wait a moment longer."

President Holsworthy held back a sigh, as his eyes rested on the emblem on the man's jacket.

"How can I assist you…Mr..?"

"Cranston," the man offered up. "My name is Hank Cranston, IBI…I have something to show you…just here…" the man looked down, digging into the depths of his suit jacket, before suddenly pulling his hand out, a small but deadly object clutched between his skinny fingers.

Bodies were down before any could think to react. The president jumped up to full height as both his security guard and colleague dropped sharply to the ground, as the uniformed assailant leveled the silent weapon on Holsworthy himself.

No words made it out his open mouth, until a second individual stepped up beside Cranston. His face was more than just eerily familiar.

The president was staring at his own reflection…however it was possible, it was him, his own flesh, standing right before him.

"What is this?" the president gasped out, as the two men closed in on him.

"Don't worry, no one dies forever," Cranston stated, before he pulled the trigger and assassinated the President of the United States.

* * *

Aisha wasn't like Tommy- Her face had been anchored to the heated dirt below them, her eyes a blur with a panic not relieved by her own tears nor able to catch even the slightest glint of Rocky's outburst. By the time she had even realized their standoff with the looming agents had been so heavily disrupted, it had been too late. 

Adam was down.

The noise became too much. Tommy was barking at her to stay down! Stay down!

"Adam!" Aisha cried out, as the violent confrontation erupted just a hand's reach away. "Adam!"

Keeping her body low, she reached her fallen friend's side, and scooped a cradled hand under his head. Her eyesight was a mess as it traveled feverishly over his body, searching for the bullet wound.

His eyes slowly opened and she almost smiled, a tear slipping from her cheek and falling to his below her. "I'm okay," he wheezed, wincing heavily; doing the bravely act. "It's just my arm..." his voice trailed off and Aisha frowned, rushing her attention to his limply rested limb.

The blood was intensely red.

"Run, Aisha," he started to say, as she slowly, almost uselessly attempted to help him sit.

Another gun shot sounded and Aisha jumped up, spinning around in time as a body almost collided into her and Adam. The momentum continued to propel the IBI agent forward, a dreadful scream tearing through the sound of the fire as he fell into the flames.

Aisha's first instinct was to help the man, but Tommy's tight grip latched onto her arms from behind, pulling her away. The agent continued to howl disturbingly, as the flames overtook him unmercifully.

Another gunshot.

Tommy let her go and barreled for one of the other agents, collecting them in a heavy tackle. Aisha swallowed heavily and carefully crouched down to Adam's height as Tommy swung a heavy fist into the agent's face, succinctly followed by another with his other hand; then another, and another, until from somewhere, Rocky called out.

But he was nowhere to be seen.

"Rocky!" Aisha called back, standing up, surprised by how quickly Adam managed to follow her. "Where are you?"

Tommy scrambled off top of his bloodied victim, latching onto the helpless agent's weapon. He stood and aimed it at the man's head, his arm trembling; his lip shaking.

Aisha didn't want to watch; but then again, Tommy couldn't pull the trigger.

Screams and more yelling were heard. The three friends huddled together, as Rocky came back into view, running for them so close to the fire's edge that the flames were literally cascading above him. At his heels was one of the other agents, his face a mess with smudges of blood, scrapes and dirt.

Blood was on Rocky's hands.

"Rocky, behind you!" Adam called out, starting for him, before Tommy could stop him.

Rocky lost his concentration at his friend's call of warning, and tripped, landing heavily forward. Adam continued onwards, just dodging another bullet, before 'slam!'; he collided with the armed agent.

Aisha and Tommy ran for them.

Aisha grabbed onto Rocky, running her hands over his arm in a patting frenzy as tiny flames began to nuzzle at his suit jacket. Tommy dived right in to help Adam, who was visibly struggling to maintain an upper hand with his lagging strength.

"Guys, get out of the fire!" Aisha shrieked.

Tommy seemed to push Adam away, back into safety, but remained in danger himself, swapping fist after fist with what seemed to be the only remaining agent. Rocky pulled his jacket off and ran for their leader, grabbing a discarded gun from nearby and pointing it at their enemy.

"Tommy, move out of the way!" Rocky yelled desperately.

Aisha was struggling to remain standing, her legs trembling with the fear of watching Tommy lose control right before them. She had always been comforted by the strength of her teammates; of their reserved, yet dignified leader- but they weren't even really them anymore. What if what had kept them alive through so many perilous times in their old pasts, just didn't exist inside them anymore?

Live forever.

That was never a promise.

"Tommy!" Aisha's voice was sharp, minced amongst the crackling that encircled him, threatening to gnaw into his very skin.

Maybe this was how it was all supposed to end.

Rocky removed his jacket, pulled his shirt over his head and discarded it to the dirt, pushing the extra distance to Tommy. The bloodied agent below the white ranger was no longer fighting back, but yet Tommy couldn't see it, or most likely didn't care. The drive in his eyes was propelling him to gain vengeance on whomever he could grasp and he resisted Rocky's advances for a good thirty seconds or so, leaving the former red ranger with no choice but to use force.

"Tommy!" Rocky spat out, pulling at his friend roughly, "He's dead, all right! He's dead, come on, forget about it!"

Tommy finally pulled away listlessly and the two men limped hurriedly toward Adam and Aisha.

"Adam's been shot!" Aisha couldn't help but cry out, as Tommy fell to the dirt nearby.

"Aisha! I need your help!" Rocky motioned feverishly to her.

Staying low, Aisha hurried after Rocky, pausing a short distance away as he crouched over one of the dead agents. "Pick him up by the legs," Rocky asked her, as he carelessly grabbed the body by its arms.

Aisha hesitated.

"Aisha, for God's sake, come on!" he urged her and she hurried at his tone, grabbing the bloodied body's arms.

"What are we doing with him?" she asked, as she struggled as the weakest half of their balancing act.

Rocky continued to drag the man by his arms, heading directly for the fire's edge. "We need to dispose of all of them in the fire," he grunted, his own strength visibly wavering.

He motioned for her to lower the man's legs, before he rested his eyes on her. "When they come here…the media, the police…everyone…they need to think that not only we burnt to death here, but these assholes as well," he explained, before his eyes softened modestly. "They nearly killed us, Aisha…I'm sure they thought they had their reasons for trying to kill us, just as we had legitimate reasons for fighting back."

Aisha bit her lip and slowly nodded, before they rolled the agent's body into the hungry flames. They followed the same, tiring disposal with the remaining two bodies that weren't all ready a part of the fire's rage, before stumbling back toward their remaining friends.

Tommy was hunched over, facing away from them and Aisha's eyes widened in gradual horror as they came closer to him. He was burnt. Not fatally, not even to an extent where it would incapacitate him, but the patches up his arms looked so horridly painful. Adam was busy tightening a tourniquet around his wounded arm, using his free hand and teeth to do the job.

Everything was in slow motion. Literally. That's how ruined Aisha felt.

"We need to keep going," Tommy wheezed out, his forced words of motivation breaking into a coughing fit.

They all nodded, but no one moved. Where were they supposed to go from there? The heat and smoke were almost at a point to where they couldn't even see each other anymore, let alone any sort of route to freedom. What if they ran blindly into the clutches of the IBI again?

"Tommy, come on, straighten up," Adam consoled the white ranger, resting his uninjured hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Aisha," Tommy murmured, as though he hadn't heard Adam speak at all. "I should have sent you with Billy…"

Aisha's stomach turned, just at the sound of Tommy's voice.

"Tommy, we are not giving up," she started, her voice trembling as she quickly kneeled before him, grabbing his face between her hands. "We have to keep fighting! We have a chance to be free..."

Tommy's eyes slowly traveled to meet hers, before he lowered his head and rested his forehead against hers. Waiting patiently for him to compose himself, she slowly moved her head back and kissed him on the forehead, before standing up before him.

Four sets of eyes exchanged glances, as though the destructive world around them didn't exist.

"Let's go and find somewhere in the bush to hide," Adam suggested, looking to Tommy for his support. "We can lay low until first light, and then make our way to one of the back roads, see if we can find ourselves an abandoned car."

Tommy nodded, before they gingerly began their way back to the hole in the fence, no one daring to speak as they crept outside the facility's high barrier. There was a lingering, disrupting noise in the distance, yet nothing that touched them with any urgency. Their movements were obliterated by the fire's roar; in Aisha's ears, her tender steps were muted by the pounding of her own heart.

And they would continue on their final escape until they found a temporary sanctuary, with little guarantee or thought on what they might face with the rising of the morning's sun.

--

TO BE CONTINUED…

_**Teaser for Chapter 32 "All things Collide":**_

"What?" Aisha rushed out, her face of horror and disbelief mirrored by Adam.

Rocky's face twisted.


	32. All Things Collide

**Existence**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 32 – All Things Collide**

_A/N- Thanks for every single review last chapter, I really, really appreciate your comments! Another long chapter, I know- shock horror. Two chapters to post after this one with more explanations to come. Hope everyone is having a great day/night:-)_**  
**

* * *

He was alive. 

The sensation of awakening to a new sunrise should have been a joyous occasion, and yet as Adam lifted his head from the unyielding ground, he was immediately overwhelmed by a sense of vapid distress. The early morning's breath was so moist and biting, that even his bones felt cold. His mind was hazy.

He couldn't believe he fell asleep in the first place.

Swallowing heavily, he sat up, wincing suddenly as a sharp pain clambered up his injured arm, reminding Adam of everything that had taken place only hours earlier. Pushing his anguish aside, he stretched his other arm and gently shook Tommy's sleeping body, promptly pulling back as his friend rose in a spectacular, defensive manner.

Tommy winced on recognition, rubbing his eyes. "Damn, I fell asleep," he realized with a mumble, settling down into a seated position, as he looked over at Rocky and Aisha who were awkwardly slumped over each other in slumber.

Adam tried to offer him a look of comfort. "I must have fallen asleep, too," he shared, as though to ease the shame. He glanced around the picturesque jungle-like forest which surrounded and enclosed them, its silent beauty a far cry from the destructive inferno they had fled from to get there.

For a feigned, pleasant moment, Adam could almost forget the indescribable situation they had found themselves in.

He cringed again, shifting warily. "Do you think it's safe for us to keep going?" he asked Tommy.

Tommy appeared to be inspecting the burns to his forearms and nodded distractingly. "Any ideas on which direction we came from?"

Adam sent another sweeping gaze around the surrounding bushland. "I think I remember coming through the clearing up ahead," he shared, his tone heavy with doubt. "I can only guess that means we should be heading north?"

Tommy sighed, rolling his neck around. "I trust your judgment more than I do anyone else's right now," he admitted, avoiding his eyes for a moment. "Is your arm okay? I mean, do you need medical attention?"

Adam shook his head. "I'll be fine, the bullet missed the major arteries…it's just an infection that I'm worried about. I'll have to take a better look at it when we get to safety." He cocked his chin. "What about your burns?"

Tommy's face twisted slightly, but he was just as quick in retracting any show of pain. "It was my own fault…I," he sighed, his explanation not continuing any further and Adam was inwardly unsettled, not just by the white ranger's wounds, but more so by his listlessness.

"You saved us last night, Tommy…regardless of what you are feeling right now, you need to know that," Adam told him. "Without you there, Rocky and I would have gotten ourselves killed and Aisha would have been completely unprotected."

Tommy eyelids remained as shelters for his eyes, and Adam couldn't see his reaction. He sighed softly and moved onto his knees, gently squeezing Tommy's shoulder, before moving onto the task of waking Rocky and Aisha out of their strangely peaceful sleep. They both woke with a start and Adam was a little unprepared as Aisha's wide open eyes settled onto him and she moved succinctly to give him an embrace. He could feel her body tremble against his and he moved his uninjured arm around her for a moment's comfort, before gently slipping away.

Rocky seemed to curse under his breath, before attempting to spit out saliva that didn't produce.

"How long have we been asleep for?" Aisha asked with puffy eyes, as Adam helped her to standing.

"It's hard to say," he replied, looking down at his male teammates. "My guess would be a few hours or so."

"Now I know why I don't go camping," Rocky murmured dryly. He propped onto his knees and shuffled his way over to Tommy, leveling his face down before his. "You all right?"

Tommy finally looked up, exposing his tired, bloodshot eyes. "I'm okay…just thinking about Billy and Kat," he admitted.

Adam crossed his arms over his chest for unfounded warmth. "I'm sure they got away, Tommy," he tried to sound reassuring. He believed his own words. "And hopefully they had a lot less complications than we did."

"They did have a lot further than us to travel, though," Aisha pointed out.

Rocky clasped Tommy's hand, pulling him to standing. "Guys, Billy knows what he's doing," he reasoned. "He saved our asses enough in the past for us to believe that he wouldn't do anything but get the others out of the high-school safely."

"Rocky's right," Adam agreed, sharing a private look with his close friend. "But it's up to us now to get to the hut as soon as we can. I was just talking to Tommy, and we agree that north is where we want to start heading."

Rocky nodded. "Is everyone okay to walk?"

Aisha cringed, but threw them a tight smile that extended back to a grimace. "I wish I wouldn't have lost my shoes," she complained a little. "How do we know that the police or the IBI don't have all the roads from here blocked?"

"We don't," Tommy spoke up, surprising everyone with the calm edge in his voice. "We stay together and keep walking…on the first hint of people, we alter our course and we keep doing so until we find a way out of here."

* * *

"Pull up here," Billy instructed, watching as Farkas' eyes frowned questionably at him via the rear view mirror. As though to repeat his request nonverbally, Billy gestured with a nod of the head, and shifted forward a little as the vehicle slowed unsteadily over the uneven gravel surface. 

As the engine died out, Billy swiftly twisted to unclip Kimberly's seatbelt, momentarily ignoring Farkas' questioning. Billy tried to offer some sort of consoling expression to his brunette childhood friend, but as the bulky officer repeated his question for a forth time, all the blue ranger could muster was a heavy, drawn out sigh.

"We're going," Billy twisted back around, motioning to Katherine. "Let's go."

"Wait, wait, wait," Farkas stared at them from the driver's seat. "You can't open the back doors from the inside, it's a security feature...so, before I let you out, do you want to explain to us what the hell is going on?"

Billy pursed his lips, staring at the two men with no words coming to his mind.

"Why didn't you ever tell anyone you were the power rangers?" Eugene suddenly asked up so randomly, that it would have been almost laughable had the circumstances been anything but.

"Do you think you would have picked on me less?" Billy countered half-heartedly, before sighing despondently. "We appreciate everything you have both done to help us, but this situation is far too confounding for me to try and clarify to you in the insufficient amount of time that we have spare."

"But you guys are in trouble," Farkas guessed. "Is there anything we can do to help you?"

Billy looked at Katherine, before he bit his lip. "We're going to go and we won't be coming back...nobody will see us again. We're dead to the rest of the world. Nobody else can ever know about this," he added, looking at both men with pleading eyes. "You can't tell anyone else about what happened last night, about running into us in the car park, about driving us away from the facility. Nothing."

Eugene's forehead creased, as he swallowed heavily. "But why are you all running away? You're heroes, you should be making it known to everyone."

Heroes.

"Then whatever you think is owed to us…whatever you think that we deserve, pay it back to us by keeping this secret for the rest of your lives," was all Billy could say. "Our lives are over, otherwise…" he barely spoke.

Farkas's head lowered slightly, before he turned around and exited the driver's side, moving around to open the back door on Billy's side. Billy carefully moved out, pulling on Kimberly as gently as possible to coax her movement.

The air outside was frosty. He felt a shiver claw up his spine and he moved to wrap an arm around Kimberly as he waited for Katherine and Jason to get out of the vehicle.

"Listen, how are you guys going to get anywhere when you don't have anything but the clothes on your backs?" Farkas asked Billy, as the two men stood face to face.

Katherine closed the car door, looking over at Billy as though to ask the same thing.

"We'll get by. We don't have a choice."

Farkas suddenly flinched, digging into his pocket before pulling out a mangled, worn leather wallet. He flipped it open and searched through it intensely.

"Here, take this," he mumbled, handing over a collection of wrinkled notes and what looked to be a few food vouchers and other bits and pieces.

Billy hesitated, before the officer sighed and pushed his hand near his. "Take it, okay? It's not much; I don't get paid until next week…it'll get you some gas, at least."

"Thanks," Billy replied gratefully. "Well, uh, we better go. Thanks for everything," he offered briefly, before turning around, motioning for Katherine and the others to follow his lead.

He didn't stop for Katherine to catch up, or to check if Jason and Kimberly were actually following him. He just walked his robotic pace, hearing Eugene call out his "goodbye". He wasn't sure why exactly, but he was terrified that if he stopped and looked back on where he had come from, he wouldn't be able to go through with what was ahead.

Weaving himself between trees and the silence of nature, Billy came to a sudden stop as a loud snap tore and echoed through the forest around him.

Grabbing his chest with his hand, he covered his blurred gaze with the other as he heard footsteps rush from behind.

"Billy?" Katherine's voice could be heard, before it sounded again. "Billy!"

It was just a broken twig beneath his foot, and yet it sounded like a gunshot.

"Billy, are you all right?" Katherine's hand crept to his shoulder, her body moving into his so they were eye-to-eye.

Billy cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, I just…." He shook his head at himself, looking over his shoulder at the two stumbling forms following them. "I couldn't prolong the moment for any longer without an overwhelming risk that I might not stay strong for you, Katherine."

Her crystal gaze lowered somewhat, as her head dropped to rest against his shoulder. He was expecting her to say something, but when nothing but the breeze and Kimberly and Jason's uneven footsteps could be heard, he moved his arms around her.

"We need to keep going, Kat," he coaxed with a gentle, but hoarse voice. "If I remember correctly, Tommy's uncle's hut is still a short walk."

He gently pried her back, leaving his steadying hands on her shoulders.

"I really hope the other's are okay, Billy," she whispered emotionally, their eyes molding together with damaged hope.

* * *

The other's were okay; all though, even after securing an abandoned vehicle on one of the back roads three hours into their trek, there was still very little for any of them to smile about. Especially after a static-driven news report filtered through the radio twenty-minutes earlier, confirming a bitter-sweet realization that none of them had been prepared for. 

Rocky continued to drive the stolen car like a little child pretending to be a racing car driver. The vehicle was rattling over the unsealed road, turning and swerving with every minimal touch to the steering wheel. He was actually becoming a little motion sick from the wild ride; thank God the others had entrusted him to drive their runaway sedan or else he probably would have thrown up a ton of nothingness in the back seat by now.

He flicked a quick look at the rear view mirror, catching a glimpse of Adam's lifeless expression which was easily matched by Aisha's. No one had uttered an audible breath since they'd flogged the abandoned car from the side of the road and he thought from the silence they'd maybe fallen asleep, but both sets of eyes remained glued to their own windows.

Beside him, Tommy kept his head poised out the passenger side door, ignoring Rocky's discreet attempts to get him to talk.

Rocky tried clearing his throat and Tommy reluctantly looked at him.

"You okay?" Rocky asked him, shooting quick glances back and forth between the road and the white ranger.

Tommy shuffled uncomfortably in his seat, unnatural sweat visibly formed along his brow. "Yeah, man, I'm fine."

Rocky released the accelerator somewhat, settling the car into a more appropriate speed as they continued the ascent through the untouched bushland.

"Isn't your uncle's hut somewhere near here?" Adam pointed out.

Tommy nodded stiffly. "We should dump the car here and go the rest of the way on foot," he directed.

Rocky watched Aisha cringe deeply in the backseat at the idea, as he let the car roll slowly down in speed, bumping along to a staggered halt. The idea of walking or running again was so God-damn unappealing, that even Rocky had to wonder if they should bother trying to cover their steps to such a degree. But alas, Rocky didn't want to rock the boat and by the way Tommy was wearing his face, he gaged it was one of those times where he was better off just keeping his mouth shut.

"Here, put your arm over my shoulder," Rocky approached Aisha, expecting for her to launch into her typical resistance. He'd seen the agonizing cuts and blisters on her bare soles and hated the thought of her struggling to keep up with them once again.

But surprisingly her face lit with relief, mouthing a 'thank you' as Adam stopped on her other side.

"Let me help, too," he offered, and the three childhood friends began a staggered motion after Tommy, following his knowing lead through the increasingly deepening jungle.

Rocky was looking for clues as they walked. A sign of previous life, of footsteps in the rusty-colored dirt below. Looking for another abandoned car. Looking for something- anything, to fuel his hope that the others were nearby. He knew it couldn't have been avoided, but the whole splitting up the team idea was beginning to shit him to no end. He swore the next time they were all reunited he'd never let any of them out of his sight, ever again.

Tommy paused up ahead and looked back at them, cocking his chin slightly. "It's just over here," he announced.

Rocky felt momentarily revitalized by the much needed revelation.

So did Aisha, it seemed. "Thank goodness," she murmured.

"I can't see any sign of the others being here," Adam noted.

Rocky refused to indulge that thought. "They might be lying low, trying to avoid any detection," he convinced himself, before they swung into a quicker gait, fueled by their increasing anxiousness.

It just became worse and worse as they caught up to Tommy and practically ran for the hut's front entrance, pulling to a clenched stop as they noticed the four figures huddled in the far corner.

Rocky could have cried.

Billy scampered to a standing, releasing a sleepy Katherine from his clutches as he caught Tommy in a surprise embrace. Rocky fell against the wooden wall nearby and tried to salvage his balance, glancing up in time to watch as relief turned from almost joy into emotional disillusion, coming to a head as Aisha clasped Katherine and the two women began to almost sob.

They were there, they'd made it. They were still alive, yet that was no longer a comfort as everyone's thoughts turned on them, reminding them of everything they'd lost in the process. And in the corner, two poignant reminders remained in an eerily unhinged state, staring back at them with haunted eyes.

Rocky looked back at his male friends as Katherine and Aisha finally released each other from their strangled clasps and Tommy's droopy eyes fell to the floor with defeat.

"Radio signal was up again this morning, we heard the early report on the way here...Star news reported that pending forensic investigation, it's believed that we all died at the facility along with an unknown number of police and IBI personnel and officers," Adam was the first to speak up, summoning them all in with his bleak tone. "Our plan worked- the world thinks we're dead."

Damn. The concept was too hard to deal with. They all looked at the wooden floor as though the emotion had clung to their eyelids, anchoring their gazes in the direction of discreet tears.

The regret.

The fear.

The relief.

Billy clasped onto Tommy's shoulder, as he raised a clenched fist to his mouth, struggling to remain composed.

"We did the right thing," Rocky finally said, not realizing he'd spoken out loud.

Nobody argued or agreed. Rocky watched as Aisha walked over to him, lowering her head against his forearm. He couldn't move, not even to accommodate her under his arm and he merely stroked her hair absentmindedly as he felt her body release into a trembling sob against him.

"Hey..." Katherine walked over to them and gently took Aisha's face in her hands, trying her best to console her despite her own state.

From the far corner, the two odd ones out were still huddled together in a stale, empty state. They lingered in the corner of Rocky's view, teasing him with penetrating reminders of their grief…their blood…their death; Of the way he had been the one forced to dispose of Kimberly's murdered body into the inferno's pit…how he felt her blood still on his skin.

How he just couldn't believe that it was all over.

He felt Aisha's weight lift from his side as she looked at him, before staring over at the clones of Kimberly and Jason.

"It was wrong to bring them here with us," she said sadly, sound barely pushing the words through her labored breathing. "They're not them…how can we look at them and pretend?"

Billy stepped forward, his eyes unfocussed, as though he were struggling to see without his glasses. "Guys, there's something you need to know, something Kat and I discovered before we fled the high school with them…" he looked over at Katherine and Rocky frowned as an almost smile graced her shiny face.

Rocky sighed, frowning deeply. "What? That they can't speak?" he pointed out miserably. "Their staring is freaking me out."

Billy shook his head, his throat visibly moving as he swallowed. "I can't explain it all, and I can't even begin to comprehend it, but the clones of Jason and Kimberly aren't clones-."

"What?" Aisha rushed out, her face of horror and disbelief mirrored by Adam.

Rocky's face twisted.

Tommy's was blank.

Billy's expression was indescribable. "I located a scar on Kimberly's back, consistent with a scar she obtained in our early months of being rangers…both of them, both have freckles...sunspots...smaller scars-."

"It's impossible," Tommy whispered loudly, his eyes staring into empty space.

"It's the only thing I know from this conspiracy that is the truth," Billy continued, his face contorting. "This is the real Kimberly and Jason sitting here, right before us."

* * *

Billy's words flicked a switch inside Tommy that he hadn't know had existed within him, until memories of her and he swelled in his brain, shedding his skin and leaving him exposed. 

Kimberly and Jason.

The tears terrorized the backs of Tommy's eyes as Aisha let out a strangled murmur, a desperate request for the original blue ranger to reconfirm his startling revelation. He could have told them over and over and over again and as much as hearing him say it twenty million times would have been a bitter-sweet melody to their ears, it did nothing but throw Tommy so off-balance, that he could hear and see nothing.

Nothing, but their empty faces staring back at him.

Adam was the first to speak up with clarity. "Billy, are you sure about this? What your saying is..."

Aisha let out a loud, shaky breath. "Truly amazing," she finished his sentence, looking over at Tommy.

Tommy could feel a hand on his shoulder, but he continued slowly toward Kimberly and Jason, feeling Billy's touch fall away with his movement.

"Man, if this is true-."

"It is true, Rocky," Tommy heard Billy cut the red ranger off. "There is no other explanation I am willing to consider that would be at all logical or fit within the very motives of the IBI and their project."

Tommy swallowed as he found himself only a foot away from Jason, and he slowly crouched down, his hand shaking as he stretched out to touch him.

"That means then that they had them locked up in that shit hole for five years," Rocky realized with poignant disgust. "What the fuck were they doing with them?"

"Experiments..." Billy stated the obvious. "I can't even begin to surmise what experimental processes they were both exposed to, but from what very little time I have had to observe them, it is clear that even though they didn't die on Seréshis, the IBI did all but kill them since..."

Billy's words evaporated into the stale light of the unlit cabin, as Tommy rested his shaking hand on Jason's shoulder. The image of his best friend; Of what remained of him, was as much of the cause of his trembling, as the cold.

"Jason?" Tommy whispered, pulling his hand back slightly as the other man seemed to jerk a little fearfully at his approach. "Jason...it's me...it's Tommy..."

"Does he recognize you?" Katherine's voice spoke up with hope, but Tommy shook his head numbly.

"It must be a result of the project," Billy explained, remaining still. "Hypothetically, the technique utilized in the transfer of individual cognitive sets to each succinct group of clones could have caused both Kimberly and Jason to be stripped of their memories, even their basic comprehension of the motor skills we all take for granted."

Tommy swallowed, his gaze tracing a line of sight from Jason to Kimberly, a horrible feeling swelling in his gut as he looked at her shivering form up close. Almost immediately, his mind flicked back to his confrontation with the clone of Kimberly at the IBI facility and it was as though he were experiencing it all over again. She was messed up, completely- utterly.

A living disgrace, not of herself or the woman that she was supposed to be, but of Tommy and his failures. That's all he saw before him.

And the guilt, that abusive shame ate at him so much, he forced himself to look away from her. There was nothing left inside of Tommy Oliver that believed that this was what had become of Kimberly Hart.

His teammates were amongst a hushed conversation, their voices cleverly directed elsewhere as they caught sight of him staring over his shoulder at them.

"It's not them," he decided coolly, his eyes struggling to look at them. "It can't be..."

Billy shuffled, stepping toward him, but Tommy put his arm out, as though willing him away.

"Don't- don't give me another run down on what those..." his face twisted, "monsters, did to them...we don't need our hopes pushed up by something that can't be true."

Katherine took a step forward, hugging her body tightly. "Tommy, Billy and I saw that scar with our own eyes-."

"You weren't even there when she got it, Kat," Tommy cut her off bitterly, grinding his teeth. "If we're gonna be so technical, none of us were...do you really think that the IBI would keep Jason and Kimberly alive for all these years? And if we're going to believe that theory, then where are Trini and Zack, Billy? They weren't even at Seréshis to die there."

"Tommy, I think you're missing the point of the project," Billy spoke up calmly. "Now I won't give you what you don't want, because as far as I'm concerned, I'm as much of a guilty party in this as the IBI was-."

"Billy-."

"It's the truth, Aisha," Billy pushed her protest aside, as his voice trailed into misery. "There is no glory in what I know. There was never a moment while we were rangers where I felt empowered by truths I chose not to share with you all. Kimberly, Jason, Zack and Trini paid the ultimate price for my choices- ones I made because I was trying to protect you all in the only way I knew how."

"You shouldn't have chosen to take that burden onto yourself, Billy," Adam spoke up with surprising emotion. "I don't understand how it came to a point where we each felt we had something to prove to each other, when all Zordon ever wanted from us was to remain united."

Tommy looked at the wood floor boards. "No, Billy, it wasn't your fault," he looked up. "It was mine."

"It was no ones fault," Rocky disagreed. "Billy, you had everything thrown on you- even after every battle was done, you never had a break from it; Tommy, you're a leader, and yeah, you both stuffed up somewhere along the line, but we've all fucked up at some point or another...this is pointless self-pity at a moment when we don't have time for it. We're on our own, guys...whatever we did before, it doesn't matter, because we're not those people..those mistakes we made, aren't our mistakes."

Aisha stepped up beside Rocky, taking his hand in hers as though to absorb his inner steel. "Rocky's right. They may have made us as clones, but we have done nothing but achieve just as wonderful things on our own merits. As our own selves. We made it to here through all of this, because of who we are inside," she swallowed, her bottom lip trembling. "If that really is Kim and Jason...then we've found my best friend and I can't begin to express what that means to me," her voice cracked, as she looked at the white ranger. "What that would mean for you, Tommy."

Tommy sniffed, struggling with his composure. "What would that mean for me, Aisha?" he asked softly, blinking away a stubborn tear.

Surprising everyone, Katherine spoke up in her place. "It would mean that the decisions you made after Kimberly and Jason were abducted by Zedd, the hard choices you made despite our protests and mistrust in them, were all right in the end, Tommy. You saved them...that's all we ever wanted and I know they've paid a price for this, but the cost could have been so much worse..."

Tommy couldn't absorb Katherine's liquid gaze, his face falling somewhere in between his crouched legs and his hands. Trying to stifle his release of emotion, he found himself almost choking, and pulled back with expected awkwardness as he felt a hand rest on his back.

He straightened up and looked over his shoulder, expecting to find Billy or Katherine or anyone else there staring back at him, but to his shock, he found the misplaced hand belonged to Kimberly.

"Kim?" her name slipped cautiously from his lips.

Her eyes didn't meet him, but her touch seemed to stir him beyond belief. It almost paralyzed him, and he could stand it taking his breath for only so long before he moved free from her and stumbled to his feet, turning around to stare at her.

"What's wrong?" Katherine asked him with concern, but Tommy refrained from a reply, instead walking back toward Kimberly, taking small, careful steps around her before slowing crouching down behind her.

He hesitated before undoing the top tie of the ratty hospital gown. Pulling it free, he let the loose ties fall free, sliding his fingers beneath the top of the fabric and ever so slowly peeled it from her upper back. As his action gradually exposed her nakedness below, an uncomfortable grimace sounded from his lips as he cast his eyes on the unnatural colors of her skin. He traced the unsightly lines of her malnourished torso with his finger, but it almost became too much as his fingertip located the mark.

The scar.

Tommy's head fell against her shoulder, his hands unconsciously clinging the tops of her arms as what ever tears he hadn't already shed, wept to the realization that sung within him.

--

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

_**Teaser for Chapter 33 "So Long, Heroes":**_

The man nodded his head, but it wasn't clear if he was disappointed or simply struggling beneath his calm exterior. He was obviously holding back the tears he should have been crying for his son and Farkas wondered if that was because of the badge embroidered on his suit jacket.


	33. So Long, Heroes

**Existence**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 33 – So Long, Heroes**

_A/N – Apologies for the delay in updating, I've been exceptionally busy this month with a trip to Japan, and now to Brisbane and then trips to Melbourne and New Zealand in the next three weeks. Writing while on the road is not as easy as I thought it would be, but alas, the show must go on...I hope I remember to send a personal thanks to everyone for your recent reviews, if I somehow missed you, please accept this as my personal thanks to you.  
_

* * *

Billy did not want to invade Tommy's private moment, yet as it happened before the eyes of them all, he knew he had to step up. If there was anything he had learned from knowing them all, of being accepted into their friendship groups and becoming less socially inapt through their influence, it was that above hard facts and truths, nothing could counter raw human emotion. 

Crouching down beside the white ranger, Billy was quick to realize he was not crying as first thought, but seemingly stuck in between a teary laugh and soundless self-comforting.

"Tommy..." he rested a hand on his shoulder.

Tommy turned his head to look at him, but his cheek remained leaned against Kimberly's tangled hair. "It's them, Billy...it's really them."

Billy pursed his lips, nodding slowly. "There is nothing in my heart that tells me otherwise," he told him genuinely. "If a miracle could possibly come from such a devastating scenario, this is it and so is the fact that we are here, together."

Tommy straightened up from his former girlfriend, staring at Billy with a lingering loss. "What about Trini and Zack?"

Billy sighed, looking over at their other teammates who had returned to talking amongst themselves. He swallowed, as images of his childhood friends instantly filtered in his ravished mind. "It is my belief that both Trini and Zack were kept alive at the facility for a similar time period to Kim and Jason, to serve the same purpose of being prime subjects in the cloning project...I have tried broaching the subject with them, but they both seem incapable of confirming this for me." He sighed. "But even if they were alive, Tommy, it's highly unlikely that remains the case. If they somehow escaped, they would have been killed by the IBI, or in the other scenario, we allowed them to die unknowingly in the inferno."

They both looked up as Katherine suddenly hunched over, whimpering longly as she scurried for the exit of the hut. Adam was quick to follow her, taking on his role as medical carer as sounds of the former pink ranger being sick caused Billy to squirm a little himself.

Adam stuck his head back into the hut. "Tommy, do you know if your aunt or uncle kept any bottled water here? Katherine's going to need some fresh water to drink as soon as possible."

Billy watched Tommy glance around the hut helplessly. "I wouldn't know, it's been over a year since uncle John last used this place," he admitted.

"I'll take a look around," Aisha suggested.

"And I'll uh, look for some blankets," Rocky added with a pursed expression.

Tommy nodded his thanks, before standing awkwardly, as though his limbs were unable to fold like they should.

"You guys had a rough time getting here," Billy guessed, motioning with a flick of his chin to Tommy's physical state.

"We were intercepted by IBI agents as we made our way to the facility. They tried to coerce us into custody, but we managed to avoid them, not withstanding a few injuries..." he smiled tightly. "You got the others here in good shape," he added with an unspoken pride.

"We were lucky, I guess," Billy admitted, unable to accept any praise for their rescue. "Bulk and Skull found us on our way out of the campus and put everything on the line to get us here. I was hesitant to divulge details as to our situation, however I had no choice but to brief them, but please don't worry; I believe strongly that they will not let our secret out."

Tommy nodded with comfort, but his eyes remained strained. "I don't know what to do now," he admitted, a hard smile shielding his fear. "All I could think about was escaping and now that we're here, I don't know what we're supposed to do or where to go."

Billy sighed, motioning to a nearby chair. "You should sit down, Tommy, you look like you have a fever," he noticed, waiting to continue till the white ranger awkwardly dropped onto the seat. "We need to get out of California- preferably out of the country as soon as everyone is fit enough to do so."

Tommy's face stared deeply. "We really need to get medical attention," he mentioned, rubbing a dirty palm over his face. "Adam still has a bullet lodged in his arm."

"I'll help remove the bullet," Billy assured him, despite his own apprehensions at such a prospect. "We will attend to everyone in order of severity…but you need to rest now, Tommy, you're exhausted."

Tommy shook his head fiercely and Billy sighed, not bothering to mask his disapproval and not allowing his friend to speak. "You know Tommy; you are no good to any of them like this. You may as well of died at the facility and we would still be carrying your burden like we are now- you're letting us down."

Billy motioned to the couch and Tommy's face contorted with stubbornness, filtered quite obviously by the tug on his emotions- the part of him that had always been so quick to do whatever it took in the face of losing his teammates.

"Here's some blankets," Rocky approached the pair, an oversized bundle of old blankets spilling over the sides of his looped arms. He dropped them on the floor, sending a spray of misty dust and smell of mildew amongst them.

"Put one on Tommy," Billy asked him, preparing himself for an objection from their leader which never sounded.

Instead, it was as though in the space of a single minute, Tommy's state had deteriorated considerably, as though allowing himself to lie down was permission for whatever affliction that was resting below the surface to come to bay.

Rocky was visibly shaken by Tommy's state, but Billy held onto his composure. "Stay beside him and let me know if he gets any worse," Billy told him.

"What's wrong with him?" Rocky queried.

"He seems to be suffering from some sort of shock," Billy explained. "You need to maintain his warmth…I'll check on the others."

Sensing Adam had Katherine's condition under control, he walked back over to where Kimberly and Jason were still clinging to each other. He crouched down before them, expecting a snarl, or lowly growl, but surprisingly neither reacted to his advance.

They just stared.

He reached for a blanket and slowly draped it around them both, pausing with a hand on Kimberly's cheek.

"Can either of you understand me?" he asked gently.

Jason's whole body jerked, causing Billy to flinch. "Th-The-Th…" he stuttered and slurred over the same sound, a strange pain tingeing his unfamiliar voice.

Billy immediately moved for him, grabbing Jason's face between his hands. "What are you trying to say?" he urged. "Are you in-."

Jason's eyes suddenly flashed with a brilliant argent glow, the explosion of energy so sporadic, that Billy's eyes slammed closed, his breathing shallow as he courageously looked back at him.

His breaths were all that sounded for a moment, before Kimberly murmured with no visible reason, her head dropping awkwardly as her eyes flashed with Jason's, in kind.

"What is happening here?" Billy whispered numbly, his face twisting with disbelief.

"Billy. Billy?"

Billy looked over his shoulder startled, his eyes still heavy in a frown as he cast them up on his approaching friend.

"What's wrong with Tommy?" Adam asked him, his face drawn seriously.

Billy had to shake the fog from his head. "He appears to be in the initial stages of shock...skin discoloration and clammy skin," he explained, before he ran a hand to his face. "He has severe burns to his arms that need to be treated."

He sighed, his eyes falling on the bloodied tourniquet still in place on Adam's arm.

Adam crouched down beside him, his look grave; there was a painful realization that both men were quickly becoming overwhelmed by.

They had reached safety, but without emergency medical attention and supplies, it was as though they were still caught in a death trap.

"Katherine is still dehydrated and it's progressing quickly," Adam mentioned quietly. "Without water, I don't know if I can treat her." He seemed angry at himself, but pushed it away as he looked at their two friends still sitting before them.

"Are they okay?" he asked, before looking at Billy.

Billy didn't know what to say, but nodded numbly. "It's difficult for me to substantiate if they're in pain, because neither seems capable of speaking...though, I do have a feeling that they can comprehend what I am saying," he mentioned.

Adam moved closer to Kimberly, gently holding onto her chin with his fingers. Her whole body shook with exaggeration, and he let out a soft 'shh' as he used his other hand to examine her neck and face.

"They both seem to be in much better physical condition since their showers at the high school," he murmured, looking over briefly at Billy. "Blood can make things look a lot worse than they are."

Billy swallowed. He wasn't so sure that was it. Even now, at this close distance, his mind was either playing a harrowing trick on him or it was true- that somehow, Jason and Kimberly had considerably healed over a space of twelve hours.

Kimberly let out a random moan, her eyes closing, before flinging back open, a bright light expelling from their centers as Billy had seen in Jason earlier.

"Whoa," Adam flinched back, his eyes widening before dropping to his body.

"What? What is it?" Billy asked him.

Adam grabbed hold of his injured arm, his free hand pulling viciously at the tourniquet as though he were being choked by it. Billy could only stare, not knowing if he needed to intervene, sucking in a large breath as the stained material fell free from his skin, floating to the floor.

"Where's the wound?" Adam whispered, his finger prodding the skin with growing urgency. "Billy, I was shot right here, I-I don't-."

"She healed you," Billy whispered back, staring at Kimberly in amazement. "I don't know how, but she did."

* * *

Tommy's eyes' snapped open. He licked at the sweat on his lips, his tongue almost staying at the roof of his mouth like Velcro, before he rolled over, his muscles screaming in protest. 

_Relax. _

They really had escaped the facility, their prison. He worried about the heat prickling across his bare legs, but the sound of flames gently flickering from the fireplace in the hut swiftly eased his mind. His stomach was queasy- but he remembered it was because he'd barely eaten in over a week.

Lifting his head slowly from the couch, Tommy expected the innards of his skull to thunder with painful objection, but surprisingly, he felt a sense of balance steady him. Noticing the absense of his friends, he was quickly reminded of the disrupted sleep he'd just endured, fighting through a listless fever and being somehow comforted and scared at the same time. Comforted, by the idea that he didn't have to run anymore, and yet terrified by the thought of never seeing their faces again.

Comforted by the way Kimberly's fingers had linked through his, easing him through his dellusions. But somehow that recollection itself felt like nothing more than an insane dream, even though he knew her touch was the only reason he was able to think right now. Breathe right now.

_I wonder where they are?_

Tommy slowly stood up and took a deep breath as he headed toward the only door in and out of the three-roomed hut. It was light outside, but through the window he could see the sky was still a sickly shade of tarnished gray. Smoke in the distance seemed to lap at scattered clouds, causing an almost marbled effect. It was the reminder of the war that had flattened a big chunk of the city they had spent years trying to protect; and yet it took only a handful of days for it to be ripped down.

Outside, he found his teammates scattered amongst the narrow stretch of grass at the back of their hideout. Beneath an oak tree, Rocky, Billy and Aisha sat cross-legged, pulling aimlessly at the grass amidst comfortable words, while a few feet away, Jason stood stony faced beside Adam who seemed to be the side of a one-way conversation.

Jason's eyes were lost, so very lost. Tommy stepped out of the hut and nodded a silent acknowledgment to him, but he didn't get one in return. Time. It would take time.

Tommy turned away and continued barefoot over the dewy grass to where he spotted Katherine and Kimberly together, the two women facing each other, but on an angle where Tommy couldn't tell whether they were talking or what they were doing. He could see that Kimberly had been changed, the bloodied hospital gown swapped for a rather odd ensemble of an over-sized men's shirt and no bottoms to speak of asides from her underwear. He felt a rush of guilt just staring at her; but Katherine's eyes met his and he continued toward her gesturing hand.

"How did you sleep?" she asked him, as he stopped beside them. "You're looking much better."

Tommy nodded a little stiffly. "The heat from the fire woke me up and I almost thought for a second I was at the facility..."

Katherine almost seemed uncomfortable about the reminder, before her eyes changed and she gestured to Kimberly. "Well; Kimberly can talk now," she mentioned.

Tommy glanced down at his high school sweetheart, a soft smile settling as she looked back at him with big eyes. It was a far cry from hours earlier, when he'd watched her disturbing form shudder just at his very look.

"Hello," she greeted, emphasizing every sound and vowel to perfection. "My name is..." her sentence fell, before Katherine softly scooped up her hand.

"Kim-ber-ly," Katherine drew out, offering her an encouraging smile.

Kimberly's face fell a little with strained shame, before she courageously looked back at Tommy, her face tripping over various expressions before she settled for a smile. "My name is Kim-be-lly."

Her carefully spoken words, so warmly filtered, sent a wave of goosebumps up his legs and arms and all he could manage was another smile at her. It was all pride and so much relief and without even noticing it, his hand was softly stroking her cheek.

"Hi Kimberly," he replied almost in a whisper. "I don't know if you know my name, but I'm Tommy...we used to know each other a long time ago."

He lowered his hand almost immediately, as he felt a stray palm from behind cup his shoulder.

"Tommy, how are you feeling?" Billy asked, reaching for the white ranger's arms.

Tommy held his limbs straight, unable to believe their now smooth, untouched surface. He had to wonder if Kimberly had any understanding of what she had done; how she and Jason had seemingly healed them all with their very touch.

He looked over at her, and she seemed to be in a world of her own, running her toes through the grass in an almost innocent delight.

"I feel good," he finally responded, sighing a little distractingly. "How are the others?"

Billy nodded. It was amazing how calm, how much he looked like _Billy_...and yet Tommy could see the lingering grief within his blue eyes. "I think it's time," he admitted. "We've had the fire burning for over six hours and we don't want to draw anymore unnecessary attention to the area…"

Tommy pursed his lips and nodded, before he looked over at the others, motioning with a hand. "Guys, over here," he called out.

"This is gonna be hard," Katherine breathed out nervously, and Tommy looked over at her, rubbing her comfortingly on her arm as their friends gathered around with mirrored expressions of anticipation.

"What's up?" Adam asked.

Tommy's eyes were perched on the ground, his mind a mess with all the things that should be said at that moment. He swallowed, and looked up at them.

"It's time for us to leave here and start heading for the Mexican border," Tommy detailed, watching as his words lingered in the form of mist against the cool air. "We will have to stick to back roads and we won't have enough money to stay in any sort of accommodation…"

"How much money do we have?" Rocky asked.

Billy removed a collection of dirty notes from his pocket. "Two-hundred and twenty dollars…thanks to Bulk and Skull, who also were generous enough to provide us with some buy-one-get-one-free and half price coupons for McDonalds."

"Man," Rocky stretched out. "I could really go a Quarter Pounder right now."

"We'll stop for something to eat, once we get well past Angel Grove," Tommy agreed. "We need to make a stop along the way so Billy can prepare some birth certificates and driver's licenses for us to use, if we need to, to across the border."

"You mean, you're going to make us fake identifications?" Katherine wondered.

Billy nodded. "They'll just be temporary, but should fulfill their purpose should a situation arise where we require them. We are fortunate that it's considerably easier to get out of the U.S than it is to get in- however, I can't stress how vital it is that we stay vigilant and composed, especially until we are all over the border. Even then, it is my recommendation that we remain in a single location no longer than a few hours."

Katherine bit her lip. "How are we going to get across the border?" she asked with an unsettled expression.

Tommy sighed. "That's the part of the plan that we haven't worked out," he admitted with honest shame. "But, uh...regardless of what method we use, it's going to require us to make drastic changes to our appearances and to separate for a short period of-."

Rocky groaned loudly, shaking his head as Aisha shifted her hands to her hips.

"The separation thing does not work for us," Rocky pointed out, but it seemed to be more in frustration, than objection. He rubbed a hand on his face. "I told myself I wouldn't let any of you out of my sight again," he finally explained, looking at each of them intently.

"It's not ideal, but I promised myself a long time ago that I wouldn't let any bad come to any of you," Tommy countered gently; void of deep emotion, but with sentiment resting subtly in his outstretched gaze, "I promise you all, once we get into Mexico, this won't be over...it won't be over for a long time and it might never be over. But...but we're doing this for each other. I can only speak for me, but if I didn't have you guys, I would probably given up a long time ago."

Billy nodded valiantly, before hands and arms intertwined, foreheads sharing burdens as they came together for one last moment.

"We can do this, guys," Aisha's voice floated in between their comforting scrum.

Tommy flicked a glance between each of them, setting one final gaze on the distant pools of chocolate beside him; the eyes he never thought he'd look into again. "Let's do this."

* * *

_**Angel Grove Lawn Cemetery**_

_**Three Weeks Later**_

In his experience, the weather was always extreme at funeral services, but Farkas should have known it would rain down the day they had to say goodbye to Them; that the skies would open and cry their hearts out at such a waste of life or maybe even the lie which Farkas and Eugene would both carry to their own graves.

There was no question that this was a memorial service for people that mattered, for true heroes. Stars and bands graced their identical coffins, beneath individual photographs of them all. There was a lack of flowers...not because people forgot, but because Farkas imagined that true heroes were above and beyond the norm. Maybe they would come out at the private burial services, he really wasn't sure.

"...for those that gave, not only their time, their gifts or their unwavering strength to this city and this country, we thank you. Heroes are not defined only by what they do, but what they don't. These young people we commemorate today - the power rangers - had never been offered appreciation for all they did not get to experience. As the president of this country, I feel a sad sorrow that we as a nation, that you as loved ones, shall never have the opportunity to thank them for their services. My thoughts and prayers go out to each and every one of you in your time of grief._"_

Farkas trailed an inconspicuous gaze as the heavily surrounded leader bowed his head and left the microphone, settling to a respectful stance in the distance. The wind blew the rain again into Farkas' face, and he moved a quick hand to shield his eyes, hoping that nobody there was watching him. That no one saw the guilt in his eyes, the lack of tears, and the absence of sentiment that everyone else was lost in.

Their plan had worked. The entire country had declared the ten young adults dead as a direct participation in December's violent alien invasion in Angel Grove. Hundreds lost their lives that week, but out of all of them, the power rangers were the ones who had stolen the gloomy spotlight, just as heroes should. He pictured their ghosts before them now, yet they weren't a painful reminder of those lost, but of regret. Of a lie. Of an unthinkable sacrifice.

It was too much. The rain just dug it in.

"Come on; let's go," Farkas mumbled to Eugene, before he turned around and excused himself through the crowd behind them. He must have looked as rude as hell, but it was all becoming a bit too much for him. Pretty soon, family members would be crawling onto the podium and spilling their guts and hearts out for everyone to share, and it would have been wrong for Farkas to be in that presence.

"Hey, Bulk," Eugene called out after him, using a pet name that sounded too lighthearted, too wrong at that moment.

Farkas stopped behind an overgrown box shrub, shielding them from the view of the congregation.

"What was that about? You okay?" Eugene asked him.

Farkas nodded, unable to resist a look over his shoulder, and one over his childhood friend's. "We shouldn't be here," he explained calmly. "You seen all those agents around the President? A few of them were IBI…"

Eugene blinked thoughtfully. "They've probably just got him under tighter guard, given the recent attacks," he assured him and Farkas shuffled. Eugene sighed. "They don't know anything, Farkas."

"Yeah, well we can't be too careful. We both need to avoid any attention until this blows over…until our secret is buried six feet under the ground and the tributes stop, then we can afford to relax, but not yet."

Eugene nodded, his face falling somewhat. "Sure would've been good to know that they got out of the country okay," he pointed out dismally.

It would be a question that they'd been asking themselves forever, yet one that would never have an answer. Billy had said it in so little words: it was for the safety of the world. Farkas remained convinced, though, that he and Eugene had no understanding of the real reason why the group of heroes- why their former classmates - had gone to such extreme lengths to leave behind their lives. To create a lie and sacrifice everything they knew; to give up everything. Maybe they were used to sacrificing. Farkas didn't know.

All he did know was that he saw how dead and scared their eyes had been. They were the eyes of people who had so much to lose. What really happened in that facility, Farkas knew that would stay a secret burned along with all the others but he was changed forever now. It was hard. Vivid memories of a boy who idolized the superheroes were scarred by the knowledge that there wasn't any real magic in the world. Had the government, the one he had proudly represented in some small way been involved in the power ranger plight all along? Were there no monsters from space, but rather only monsters wearing suits and driving nice cars?

Eugene shuffled, seemingly uncomfortable as the rain drops became more pronounced. "You wanna maybe go grab a pack of beer and go back to my place?"

Farkas nodded quickly, albeit distractedly and he moved to turn before a softly spoken voice rose up from behind.

"Officers?"

Farkas calmed as he recognized the man, but he almost couldn't look at him; couldn't take in his drenched gaze.

"Are you boys leaving so soon?"

Farkas nodded apologetically for the both of them. "We've been called into the station," he lied. "Most of the guys are here, so uh." he paused and shrugged slightly. "We better get going," he finished slightly.

The man nodded his head, but it wasn't clear if he was disappointed or simply struggling beneath his calm exterior. He was obviously holding back the tears he should have been crying for his son and Farkas wondered if that was because of the badge embroidered on his suit jacket.

_IBI..._

"I'm very sorry for your loss, Mr. Cranston," Farkas offered as sincerely as he felt. "Take care."

The man didn't respond, and instead turned around and walked off, his body moving stiffly as though untouched by the rain around them.

--

**TO FOLLOW...THE EPILOGUE...**

_**Teaser for the Epilogue "Existence is Everything":**_

"No!"

Billy's head flew up, as Kimberly's sudden outcry turned into an almost growl, her terrified body backed so far against the wall behind her that she looked almost painfully curled up.

Tommy's shirtless body leaned over the bed, reaching to grab her around the ankles.

_A/N#2 – Epilogue should be up in the next week, as it's all ready written :-) You will find more answers there. It'll be a nice wrap up of the story and a good introduction right into the sequel...yes there will be a sequel! More on that next chapter.  
_


	34. Epilogue: Existence is Everything

**Existence**

By Chanelle Summer

**Chapter 34 – Epilogue: Existence is Everything**

_A/N – And here it is, folks- the epilogue...A big thanks for each and every single review and email from last chapter :-)_

_Report Dated 7th of February 2001_

_This is for my records, my own account of events which continue to become clearer and yet more obscure as time goes on. Much of what I know cannot be substantiated by any third parties or those that were responsible for causing them; it has been a painstaking process of theorizing over the scattered clues I discovered during our time incarcerated at the IBI facility in Angel Grove, as well as subsequent psychological and physiological examinations I have performed on my former teammates_.

Billy let the end of the pen balance at the edge of the lined paper, his eyes sneaking upwards as a stream of fluorescent light cut through the sanctuary of his lamp's comfortable dimness. Katherine poked her head out of the bathroom, her hand clasped around the door frame and her eyes searching over them all.

"Tommy, there's still some hot water left if you want to have a shower," she mentioned, before a muffled voice filtered out from behind her, practically obliterated by the sound of noisy hot water pipes.

Katherine twisted her head around. "What was that?" Billy heard her ask Aisha, before she turned her attention back to the humid room overrun by her male counterparts. She sighed visibly. "Tommy, if you don't hurry, you might miss out; Aisha's just said that it feels like the pressure's dropping..."

From across the room, Tommy carefully lowered a set of hand weights to the ground, before running a hand across his sweaty brow.

"I want you to have one first, Kat; I can wait till tomorrow...or Saturday..."

A crooked smile settled on Katherine's face, but Rocky was quick to speak for her. "Her hair is wet, Tommy and she has a towel wrapped around her," he clarified dryly from the couch. "Get in there now, or else you can shack up with Adam tonight..."

Adam looked up from where he was lying on his stomach, lowering the newspaper in his hands. "You're the one who called shotgun on the double bed...I don't see why the rest of us should be punished because you're a greedy s.o.b," he reminded him lightly, causing both Tommy and Billy to snicker in unison.

Billy pulled his attention away from his friends' exchange, his mind quick to return to the purpose of the notebook before him:

_What I have confirmed only a month after the above events took place, is that Tommy, Adam, Aisha, Rocky, Kat and I are indeed clones, a concept which has taken a substantial amount of time for us to accept. As seen at the facility on other alleged 'clones', I have been successful in locating unique identification tags on each of us- a primary indication that we have all, at some stage, been tagged by the IBI. Further investigations on this theory revealed that none of us could report any substantial health issues since 1997, either being serious in nature, or less complex such as the common cold or flu. This supports my original theory that we were created with a technique that served to eliminate our potential to succumb to a range of human ailments. I have been unable to investigate the benefits this may offer us; I am unable to determine if this may extend our life expectancy, or whether other, unknown side-effects from being cloned, may counter such advantages. While it is evident that my teammates are all suffering varying degrees of psychological trauma, including sleep disturbances and mood swings, I have determined that as of this date, all are in satisfactory physical condition._

Billy paused, his automatic words pulling up at a mental barricade as he pondered the next paragraph that he would write. His eyes trickled up discreetly, noticing both of them sitting on one of the single beds, obviously immersed at whatever pointless program was showing on the television.

_I have spent considerable time examining Jason and Kimberly and have determined without doubt that neither is a clone. Neither bears identification tags on any part of their bodies that indicate they belong to the cloning project. Both carry scars and other inflictions on their bodies from prior to the final battle in Seréshis. Initial examinations on both Jason and Kimberly showed that both were severely malnourished, all though given the length of their confinement one can only assume that they were fed over time, rather than abstained from food all together. I am unclear as to the cause, but neither seemed able to engage verbally with myself or the others. Their behavior could only be described as belonging to someone who had never been part of the living, social world with an absence of very basic social and motor skills. Both showed signs of physical injuries which had not been attended to and therefore had not healed correctly. And most notably, neither Jason nor Kimberly could verbalize what took place at the facility during the years they were held there_.

"Billy?"

Billy rushed to complete his sentence, dropping his pen down in time as one of his oldest friends lowered down into the opposite chair. The table they were at wobbled as Billy rested his elbows on its matte surface, and he leaned down to readjust the folded cardboard that was serving as a means to level the desk's uneven legs.

"What are you writing?"

Billy unconsciously shielded the pad of paper, smiling tightly. It was a positive sign that Jason recalled his name without any form of prompting. "I'm writing down plans on where we should go, next," he lied, watching for the reaction in his eyes.

Jason's face moved thoughtfully. Billy could almost see the man think behind his dark gaze, his chin falling onto the ledge of his hand as he pondered and tried his best to comprehend Billy's response.

"Does that mean we're not staying here?" he finally asked with a slight slur.

Billy nodded gently, thinking his choice of vocabulary over carefully. "We can't stay here for too long, Jason...we need to find somewhere permanent to live. Somewhere...where we can all be safe and happy," he explained.

"We're not safe here?" Jason questioned, frowning.

"We'll be fine," Billy tried to assure him. "But I think we would all prefer if we had our own rooms to sleep in, don't you?" his eyes gestured over to the nearby bed. "Wouldn't you prefer it if you didn't have to share such a small bed with Kimberly?"

Jason flicked a brief gaze over to the petite brunette before shrugging indifferently. Billy wasn't surprised by his friend's impartial response, given all he'd observed of the more psychologically damaged pair since they'd arrived over the border of Mexico. He doubted there were any sexual connotations in his reply, but more so a confirmation of Jason's etched neediness of Kimberly's close presence, and likewise, hers of his.

"You can keep writing," Jason finally permitted him, leaning back in his chair. "I can just watch you."

Billy wasn't particularly comfortable at the thought of continuing his report in front of Jason, but given that he knew the original red ranger was still unable to read higher than a grade three level, he nodded with thanks and returned his attention back to his account:

_Despite these initial predicaments and observations, both have shown substantial improvements in all areas over the last month- both are able to converse with us, all though their vocabularies are restricted at times to what you would expect from an elementary-aged child. Both have severely fragmented short-term memory capacity, and forget names, including their own, on waking most days. I have so far limited discussions of what took place at the facility in their presence to aid in their emotional healing; it troubles me to observe how clearly psychologically impaired they are. Kimberly displays a strong, evident fear of water whereby she becomes physically inconsolable in its presence. Given the treatment I myself experienced at the facility whereby members of staff hosed us down with icy-cold water, her fear can be understood. Jason displays a tendency for violence, however he has not acted out toward us, but more so to himself-._

"No!"

Billy's head flew up, as Kimberly's sudden outcry turned into an almost growl, her terrified body backed so far against the wall behind her that she looked almost painfully curled up.

Tommy's shirtless body leaned over the bed, reaching to grab her around the ankles. "Kim-."

"I don't want to!" she pleaded, her eyes widening with haunting terror as she kicked back at him slightly. "Please don't!"

Billy remained still, watching as Jason was quick to respond to Kimberly's distress, moving over to wordlessly console her much to Tommy's obvious frustration.

It had been this way every time they had tried to get Kimberly into the shower.

"Jason," Tommy started, valiantly finding his inner calm as he interrupted the pair. "Kimberly needs to have a wash, it will make her feel better."

Katherine ventured out of the bathroom, her lean frame draped in an unflattering shirt and oversized shorts. "Is everything okay?"

Kimberly finally relaxed somewhat, looking at everyone in the room with an almost shame. "I don't want to shower in cold water," she told them.

Tommy sighed gently, sitting down on the edge of the bed before her. "It's not cold, I promise you. We've done this before, Kim; remember the other night? If you don't want a shower, you can have a bath...but you'll feel much better, either way," he tried to pursued her, moving to rest a hand briefly against her forehead. "You feel hot."

"I don't want a cold shower," she whispered to him.

Tommy's eyes remained subdued on his high school sweetheart. "It's okay...I'm sorry I upset you, okay?"

The hazel centers of her eyes softened, her trust in him evident as she very carefully took his hand.

_They both appear to understand our relationship with them now, _Billy returned to his report, _however have been unable to recall our pasts together. They seem to be suffering from a combination of Anterograde and Retrograde amnesia disorders, all though I do not know how permanent these conditions will be. My theory is they are are result from the cloning project whereby laboratory technicians implemented an unknown technique of transferring memories from the original subjects to subsequent replicas. I can only assume that this practice has somehow 'stripped' Jason and Kimberly of these memories, given the number of times they would have undergone the cloning process. _

_It is my deepest hope that I can one day soon commence talking with both of them about their experiences at the IBI facility. I have no doubt that their recollections could serve to answer many of the questions that remain unanswered. _

_The most important of these remains the fate of Trini and Zack. In my heart; in what I know, I do believe that both are dead and perished in the IBI inferno, if they were not all ready direct victims at the hands of the IBI. It is a burden of regret that I cannot escape, no matter the reasonings to do so- I know that we all share this same sense of guilt. It is also my aim to ask Jason and Kimberly if they can recall witnessing any of Zordon's movements by the organization. Despite knowing that he could have only been destroyed in the fire, it is difficult for me to shake his presence which somehow remains with us all.._

Billy held the pen momentarily too long at the full stop, causing a blob of blue ink to pool, bleeding slightly through the paper's thin veins. The cause to linger was the very thought of Zordon, and he was all too conscious of this. The reminder of his mentor, the being who in so many ways brought them all together, made him look around the cramped hotel room to reassure himself. Every minute, every hour; he had to know that they would be okay and would make it through whatever faced them ahead.

He sighed as he heard slight commotion from direction of the tiny bathroom. He watched as Rocky reluctantly lowered his beer to the dirty floor and stood up from the couch, stalking over to knock on the slightly ajar door.

"You guys sound like you're murdering someone in there," he warned them through the door.

"Maybe we should just let Kimberly rest for tonight? She's had a big day and scaring her like this is not going to help earn her trust, or Jason's," Adam reasoned quietly.

"We have to keep trying, Adam," Rocky countered calmly. "If she could only remember what happened the day before hand, we wouldn't have to keep traumatizing her every single day."

Billy wasn't sure what the answer was, but decided to double-check on the state of affairs. Stopping beside Rocky, they both stepped back as Aisha and Tommy slid out through the door one after the other.

"Is everything okay in there?" Billy asked them quietly.

Aisha lowered the towel from her thick hair, long, jet-black strands falling into waves around her flushed skin. "Kim freaked at first, but I think they'll be okay," she assured him, as she commenced changing awkwardly beneath the cover of her towel. "She's getting better, you guys."

Rocky didn't look so convinced, but was satisfied enough to relax back on the couch. "Every time I think of how those assholes put their hands on her-."

"Rocky, take it easy, man," Tommy reasoned, lowering in the chair beside him. He took a swig of Rocky's drink. "Aisha's right when she says that they're both improving. We should be able to at least leave Cuentepec in the next month or so...two weeks ago, it was looking like we we're gonna be stuck here a lot longer."

Billy remained beside the bathroom door, taking a quiet breath as he discreetly pushed it open enough to sneak a look inside. His curious eye caught Katherine's attention on the other side, and she quietly walked up to him, keeping the door between them.

"I was just making sure everything is okay," he admitted.

She nodded pleasantly, her newly colored hair sitting in auburn contrast to her porcelain-like cheek. "Jason's in the shower with Kim now," she revealed, her lips thinning at the end of her admission. "I know you would prefer to have them separate, but-."

"It's okay," he assured her honestly. As much he had explained to his teammates that having Jason and Kimberly adjust to life as normal adults was a priority, it wasn't above the precedence of their comfort. "They need to feel safe...we all do."

Her beautiful eyes lowered a touch, before meeting his with a fiery intensity. "Sometimes it's so hard to forget where we've come from," she whispered, her hand creeping to the door, where Billy met it with his own.

It had been difficult to remain strong, and yet with Katherine, he had found himself falling with her, indulging each other's fears during private moments like these. But just as quickly as the temptation took hold of him to look back, he would think about his father and the smell of blood was enough to deter him away.

Katherine saw the memory weep from his anchored gaze now, but as her lips moved to speak with comfort, the bathroom's pipes fell to a deathly silence and Billy caught an accidental glance of Jason pulling across the shower's curtain. Katherine spun around to attend to her friends, and Billy watched for a moment longer, just to make sure everything was okay.

Kimberly wasn't crying, but remained stagnant in her wet undergarments, as Katherine fetched her a towel and Jason grabbed one for himself. It was promising to see, at least, that both were showing improvements in comprehending just how much the rest of them cared for their wellbeing. Even more striking to Billy, however, was their physical healing which seemed far too advanced; even now, he was reminded of this as he noticed how clear and supple their skin was.

Returning to his desk, he picked up his pen and wrote:

_The questions over powers- of the extraterrestrial and potentially human-made varieties remain the area where I still have very little understanding. In regards to the ranger powers bestowed onto our former selves, their fate remains unknown and it is still my belief that had the events on Seréshis played out as originally believed, that we would have all gradually presented with degenerative affects from Zordon's powers. I can not be certain that had we been dealt this scenario, I would have been capable to alleviate our symptoms, or worse- prevent our deaths. All though I have found myself incapable of discussing the scenario with my friends, it cannot be denied that the cloning project may have indirectly secured our survival by giving each of us new bodies, with no afflictions from our former ones. _

_I don't know what this means for Jason and Kimberly, however. Even if their minds were stripped of memories, it is unlikely that the process of cloning them both would have eliminated the degenerative effects of their past ranger powers. In the primary clones of both, these affects were observed at their very worst; however it can not be substantiated if their glowing, lagging health and excretion of colored bodily fluids were caused primarily from being cloned directly from Kim and Jason, or if they were intensified or derived by a failure in the actual cloning process._

_Both Adam and myself have closely monitored Jason and Kimberly for any signs of the same degeneration. Interestingly at this time, both seem to be depicting heightened ability to heal and overcome the considerable injuries obtained during their captivity. This seems to be beyond normal expectations, and if anything, I had predicted their physical recovery would be lengthly, but this has not been the case. We have, however, witnessed intermittent displays of unknown power retention- both of them have shown random flashing of light in the eyes. I hold concerns that this may be a symptom of future complications, but more importantly, the question remains as to where these power surges are coming from. _

Billy looked up at the end of his paragraph, not bothering to shield his words as he felt Tommy lean over him from behind.

"You want anything to eat?" he asked extending a piece of bread to him.

Billy contemplated the offer, before gratefully accepting it, motioning for his friend to sit down beside him.

"What are you working on?" Tommy asked him with interest.

"I'm gathering and recording everything I've observed since leaving California," he explained, before he moved the notebook to the side, reaching over to grab another folder.

Raising the cover, he pushed the manila file in between he and the white ranger for easier viewing. Unfamiliar names jumped out at them both, matched up with faces that were more than just known.

_Tristan Rider...Krystal Harvey...Jadon Rider...Kaitlin Collis...Aaron Walker...Randy Collis...Alisha Mathews...Barry Patton..._

His hand secured around the first passport, its artificial feel enough to draw a silent sigh inside as he turned it around aimlessly with his fingers.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Billy nodded, passing the fake form of identification to Tommy- to Tristan Rider. "It's time we take on our new identities and adjust accordingly to ensure as smooth a transition as possible," he confirmed quietly.

Tommy flipped open his new passport, sighing with resignation. "It's gonna be hard getting used to all these new names," he murmured, as he motioned to the other seven passports sitting before them.

Billy picked up his own passport, his eyes running over the name printed inside:_ Barry Patton..._He'd chosen first names that were as close to their own as reasonable, but it didn't make it any easier to look at them.

"I agree it will be difficult for quite a few weeks...maybe even longer. But it is my belief, the sooner we get used to being these people, the easier it will be for us to handle the separation from our pasts," Billy pointed out gently. "If we can somehow believe that we are somebody else...that you are Tristan...that I am Barry...then there is nothing that we have lost. It's all a clean slate."

Tommy clasped Billy on the shoulder, before standing up. "Guys?" he summoned the rest of the group, as a freshly cleaned Kimberly and Jason exited the bathroom with Katherine.

Billy stood up beside their designated leader, smiling tightly as seven sets of eyes rested on him anxiously, knowingly, with fear and yet with hope.

"It's time to start moving on," Tommy began, his voice falling away as everyone in the room shifted. "It's been several weeks and I know we still have a long way to go, but we can't hold on any longer...it's time we take the next step and start working toward a new life, together as a family."

Nothing more needed to be said, really; not because the moment was some clichéd leader's speech, but because they had all discussed the looming confirmation and were expecting its arrival. Names were passed around to their designated owners, expressions fell broken, but there wasn't the same resistance or dramatics that would have arisen even a month earlier.

Lowering himself back into his chair, it only made sense that for Billy to take this step with the rest of them, he would have to close the chapter he was in. He was haunted by too much, his skull scoured by endless searching and he had to end it. They had no choice now, but to pretend that it never happened. That they were never a group of superheroes, never smelt, felt or known real death; that they had never lied without thinking, without meaning or without daily regret.

That they had never been anything but normal, simple faces that walked amongst all the others in the world; Untouched, uncompromised, unexceptional in every single way.

They had been reborn, not by choice, but by a miracle. Billy thought this last point over, as he pulled his notebook into the shadows of his torso and put pen to paper:

_I still don't know why it is us to remain and what our purpose is from here. These will stay as questions that science will never be able to answer in full. All I know is that when the truth about who we are was revealed in the very depths of the IBI's death camp, our lives were never going to be the same again. All those years ago, Zordon taught us that strength is the essence of who we were as a team, but I'm not so sure that is the case anymore, at least not how our mentor intended it to be. We have been forced into an untimely compromise- We no longer serve as protectors of life, but as slaves to pure survival. _

_In the end, existence is everything._

_Signed. Billy Cranston._

**-THE END-**

A/N- A huge thanks to everyone who has read this story, who has reviewed or who has shown any interest in it whatsoever. You are all awesome! Thank you for your honesty and for sticking with it during delays in posting – I hope the ending does not serve as a disappointment. Please note, that this story is a standalone and once upon a time the idea of a sequel was played with, but this story will remain as a solo effort and hopefully can be appreciated that way still! Thank you again :) Chanelle


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